The Holdfast (Seaside Mystery #2) by Christopher Mirabile

The Holdfast (Seaside Mystery #2) by Christopher Mirabile (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15) ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 Sometimes the procedural descriptions feel belabored and at times the descriptions of team meetings feel redundant, so I think it could use tighter editing (which would help get these books under 400 pages perhaps?) That being said, the characters (including Bandit, the dog!) are lovable, the setting is lovely, and the mysteries are multi-layered and interesting. Happy to hear a 3rd book is expected! Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC.

The Washashore by Christopher Mirabile

The Washashore by Christopher Mirabile ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (NetGalley ARC pub date 4/7) The first of two books in a new series released this year featuring a fish out of water new police chief in Provincetown. This book came in at over 400 pages but when I first picked it up just “to get a taste” I read 70 pages quickly. The first half lays out the mystery but focuses more on character development, then the investigation picks up in the second half. It is definitely not cozy but doesn’t veer into thriller - it mentions some hard things but doesn’t stay there long so it is a solid mystery with a good dose of romance thrown in as well. I’ll be proceeding to the next book in the series shortly! Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC.

Grim Tidings (Ghosted #2) by B.K. Borison (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15)

Grim Tidings (Ghosted #2) by B.K. Borison (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a fun but thoughtful look at life and death, and life after death. I enjoyed the characters and themes, although I found the body lusting and open door scenes a bit excessive and somewhat distracting from the heart of the story. While this is billed as the second in the Ghosted series, it can definitely be read as a standalone - it takes place in the same city with different characters, and just a couple small Easter eggs. I also enjoyed the autumnal and Halloween backdrop. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager​ for the ARC.

Deadly Entanglement (Harriman & Mancini #2) by Cathy Pegau (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15)

Deadly Entanglement (Harriman & Mancini #2) by Cathy Pegau (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ It was fun to return to these familiar characters with some interesting themes, but I was frustrated by how transparent the mystery was from early on. The book layered in some complexity which I appreciated, but I wish it had kept me guessing longer. I enjoyed the sense of place and time. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

We Chase Shadows (We Solve Murders #2) by Richard Osman (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15)

We Chase Shadows (We Solve Murders #2) by Richard Osman (NetGalley ARC, pub 9/15) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Much like the first in this series, this book started off somewhat slow with disparate threads but then the pacing accelerated as the mysteries came together. It took me a minute to reconnect with the characters as they are not yet as hardwired for me as the Thursday Murder crew. I enjoyed the extra layers to the three main characters that were revealed and I enjoyed the details and travel. By the second half of the book I started reading quickly and stayed up late to finish. Another fun romp! Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the ARC.