A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau

A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed the characters and the storyline for this historical fiction mystery and I think it will evolve into a nice series. I questioned the historical accuracy of some elements of this story but appreciated how they set up the characters' backstories and the experiences of women, and particularly queer women, at this moment in history. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood

Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood (NetGalley ARC, pub date 9/16) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This took me a minute to get back into the story, but once it got going it felt pretty strong. It leaned very heavily on Judith and kept the reader guessing on different explanations for the murder at the center of the story. I enjoyed the setting of "the theatre" and the development of various personalities (and suspects) in the town. The side story about Becks' daughter didn't do much for me, but otherwise I thought it all came together nicely. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder

You Are the Detective: The Creeping Hand Murder by Jay Cooper, Maureen Johnson - I think this is a really interesting format and would certainly lend itself better to hard copy than the digital format in which I read it. I found the characters interesting and enjoyed the setting (1930s London). but due to the mixed media format and interview transcripts, it was hard for me to follow at times. You can treat the story as a puzzle and try to review the clues and form a hypothesis as to who the killer is before reading the final chapter reveal. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club by Mary-Jane Riley

Beattie Cavendish and the White Pearl Club by Mary-Jane Riley - This book took me a while to warm up to as it felt somewhat slow and meandering for the first third or so. Once the story found its footing, I was excited to keep going and read the rest quickly. I enjoyed getting to know the two main characters who I anticipate will appear in a sequel. I also enjoyed the backdrop of the start of the Cold War and the treatment of the Irish in London. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 17 multiple authors

The Minotaur Sampler, Volume 17 multiple authors (NetGalley ARC) ⭐⭐⭐ One of the excerpts was too crude for my taste so I bailed, but I liked the 1950s historical mystery and the game tracking detectives. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols

The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective by Jo Nichols

This was a cute story with a strong sense of place. and the theme of found family. But I felt it had too many characters with too many side stories to keep track of and it dragged on and at times became confusing and hard to follow. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter

The Blonde Who Came In from the Cold by Ally Carter (NetGalley ARC, pub date 8/5) ⭐⭐⭐  I really enjoyed the Blonde Identity, so was really excited for the sequel, but this one did not retain the magic. I think the biggest issue was the decision to make the storytelling so choppy as it bounced back and forth between present day and 8 years ago, with each chapter being about 3-5 pages long. Between the time and location jumps, the story was hard to follow and with so much of it being backstory, there wasn't much dramatic tension or stakes until the final pages. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.