REVIEW: Labyrinth of Ice

Labyrinth of Ice
Author: Buddy Levy

It is hard to imagine the extreme conditions, physical & mental challenges and isolation that A.W. Greely and the 24 members of his crew faced as they explored the far reaches of the north, attempting to do what several expeditions had previously tried & died doing. Extreme cold. Dangerous wildlife. Months without sunshine. Food stores dwindling. Trapped in the ice floes. Waiting for resupply ships that didn't come. It must have been terrifying.

This book is wonderful! The author obviously did excellent research into the voyage and the lives/deaths of these men. The highs and lows of their explorations are given in detail, including the horrifying descent into madness and cannibalism for some. This group of sailors and scientists risked all to fill in an area still blank on most maps: The arctic. In 1881, the northernmost areas past Greenland were still unknown. These men ventured forth to map, explore and document a vast, dangerous portion of the world. Greely was an experienced military man, but totally unprepared for commanding a ship and the extreme conditions they would face on the voyage. He kept a tight ship, expecting military discipline on board his ship, but his inexperience led the group to make some poor choices. In his defense, everyone is inexperienced when it comes to areas previously unexplored. But, it does seem a bit unusual that a man with no seafaring experience was chosen to captain a ship going into such a dangerous region.

Only six men returned alive. But the crew made history and some of them returned to tell the tale -- that's better than any other expedition of that area before them. The journals and reports from their expedition still exist today, and some of the data and information they brought back are still used. Amazing!

This is the first book by Buddy Levy that I have read. I am definitely going to read more, especially his book on David Crockett. Levy did a vast amount of research and included so much information in this book (even sharing some of the poetry Greely wrote to his wife while on this voyage). Excellent information! Very interesting to read!

**I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Death of an Outsider

Death of an Outsider
Author: M.C. Beaton

Nothing ever seems to go right for Hamish MacBeth. He's sent away from his usual post at Lochdubh to Cnothen while the local constable is away on an extended vacation. MacBeth arrives with his faithful dog Towser to discover the little village really doesn't like outsiders. Then there's William Mainwaring....an Englishman who seems to enjoy angering everyone he comes across with his snide know-it-all comments. MacBeth can't be his usual lazy, slow-going self with all the strange goings on....witches jumping out scaring people, disappearing locals and, of course, the dead body eaten by lobsters at a local fishery. With a sigh and resignation to responsibility, MacBeth is on the case to find out who turned a local character into fish food.

I enjoyed this book. There is some good character development for Hamish. He does more in this book than just pine for his dream woman, Priscilla Halburton-Smythe. He branches out a bit. Maybe being away from Lochdubh for a bit is good for him? Drama and murder follow him though....and the murder is definitely....distinctive. Tipping a body into a vat with lobsters is an interesting way to get rid of evidence. Eww. :)

Another great book in this series. Always a good mystery....and a lot of chuckles at the quirky village characters and Hamish's antics. The character reminds me of a Scottish version of Columbo. He seems to be bumbling....but he's actually very, very clever.

I listened to the audio book (Blackstone Publishing) version of this story. Narrated by Shaun Grindell, the audio is just under 5 hours long. Grindell reads at a nice pace and gives a great performance. Very enjoyable listening experience.

Death of an Outsider is the third book in the Hamish MacBeth series. There are 33 books in the series, so I have a lot of reading to do! Moving on to book 4 -- Death of a Perfect Wife. What trouble will Hamish get himself into next?? :)

REVIEW: Brewed Awakening

Brewed Awakening
Author: Cleo Coyle

The Coffeehouse Mystery series has been one of my favorites for years now. I like the main characters and the setting in and around a popular coffee shop in NYC. The plots are always good, and the coffee is always hot (or iced, or latte, or whatever new drink is all the rage at the Village Blend).  I like the discussions the characters have about coffee -- preparing, roasting, buying beans, brewing, etc. Each book also includes recipes.

This newest book I devoured in one awesome bout of binge reading, only taking breaks to refill my coffee cup. This time the authors went for something a bit different. Loved it! Clare Cosi wakes up in Washington Square Park. She has no idea how she got there....and she's lost 15 years of memories. She thinks her daughter is still a child....that her ex is still a supreme rat.....and that she no longer works at Village Blend. Her disappearance and subsequent reappearance with memory loss coincide with another crime. The police start to suspect her....is her memory loss real, or a put on? And....she has no memory of her fiance. Will she regain her memories and help solve the disappearance of a wealthy heiress.....or will she be arrested and charged with the crime?

There are several yummy recipes at the back of this book, as usual. I can't wait to try the recipe for KFC-style chicken...I've always wanted to try making a homemade version!

Brewed Awakening is the 18th book in the Coffeehouse series. I highly recommend these books to coffee and cozy lovers. Even if you don't care for coffee, the mysteries are entertaining and the characters are interesting. This series always provides an enjoyable mystery!

**I voluntarily read an advanced review copy of this book from Berkley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: A Typo, a Werewolf and Two Dopey Dachshunds

A Typo, a Werewolf & Two Dopey Dachshunds
A Blue Moon Origin Story
Author: Steven Higgs

Ok....this story had me laughing within the first page. I think I'm going to love this series!

A simple typo in a half page ad in the local paper morphs a Private Investigator into a Paranormal Investigator. Tempest Michaels just wanted some attention for his new PI business, not a weird career change. But when the clients start rolling in immediately.....    Well, you go where the money is, right??

This novella is a quick read and a nice introduction to Tempest Michaels and the Blue Moon Investigations series. Werewolves. A Ghoul. The Invisible Man. Well, sort of....   And two cute miniature dachshunds! Cute story! Definitely an entertaining, quick read!

I like Steven Higgs' sense of humor. I will definitely be reading more of this series. I like the quirky characters, the humor and the interestingly weird beginning to this man's PI career.  He's great at investigating....his cases just seem to take a strange angle or two. This story was just a short intro but I have book one, Paranormal Nonsense, queued up on my Kindle app already! There are seven books in the series and several novellas, plus a related series The Harper Files. Lots of fun reading ahead!

**I voluntarily read a free copy of this novella that I received from the author. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Thin Ice

Thin Ice
Author: Paige Shelton

I enjoy Paige Shelton's Scottish Bookshop and Country Cooking School cozy mystery books. When I saw she had a new series starting, I jumped right on it. This new series is a bit more serious than the usual light-hearted cozy fare. Nothing graphic. But, there is a bit more meat to the characters and mystery plot. Loved it!

Beth Rivers is an author...a well known one. After a kidnapping incident where she was traumatized, she relocates to Benedict, Alaska to recover and hide out. Her kidnapper is still free....and she wants as far away from her memories, and him, as possible. She wants to hide her identity as an author and get her life back. Just as she starts trying to settle into her new remote Alaskan home, a resident of Benedict is murdered. The crime brings back memories of the hours she spent locked in a van, victimized by her kidnapper. But she's determined to help solve the crime.

I enjoyed this story! The characters have real personality. I liked the setting in a small rural Alaska town with its quirky citizens and its own culture. Beth is a strong and intelligent main character. The mystery moved along at a nice pace, with plenty of investigation and suspects. While the story started with quite a bit of background -- Beth's kidnapping, relocation, the town, etc -- the story didn't get bogged down in it. The mystery got started relatively quickly....with Beth's previous experience enhancing it, rather than taking away from it.

All in all, an entertaining read. I'm definitely going to read more of this new series!

**I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Death with Dostoevsky

Death with Dostoevsky
Author: Katherine Bolger Hyde

Professor Emily Cavanaugh is back at Bede College, working on a book about Fyodor Dostoevsky and the effect his faith had on his writing. Her life has changed so much since she inherited money and a large Victorian home and moved away from her old life of teaching. The college has no classes during the entire month of January, so it's a good time for her to work on her book. No murder mysteries to solve....just a lot of library time.

Wrong.

Emily meets a student named Daniel and his girlfriend in the library. Daniel is working on a paper about Dostoevsky. Soon Emily is pulled into an issue concerning a female professor who is sexually harrassing Daniel. When the handsy prof is found dead in her office -- her head neatly bashed in -- Emily is on the case to prove Daniel isn't a murderer. So much for a peaceful month of writing and research.....

Death with Dostoevsky is the fourth book in the Crime with the Classics series. Katherine Bolger Hyde has also mixed murder in with Jane Austen, the Brontes and Agatha Christie. I enjoy each book in this series. The plots are always interesting....and the story is sprinkled with many literary references.

This newest story is engaging. The mystery moves along at a bit slower pace, but it still kept my interest. There are plenty of suspects, tangents and clues. The ending had a few surprises....   All in all, another enjoyable book in this series! I'm definitely eagerly awaiting the next book!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Severn House via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

REVIEW: Lock Every Door

Lock Every Door
Author: Riley Sager

Still reeling from a bad breakup and finding herself with no place to live, Jules Larsen lands the dream apartment sitting job. She gets to live in the The Bartholomew, a stately and very expensive Manhattan apartment building. There are rules though ..... no guests, no spending the night away from the apartment, and absolutely no bothering the other tenants. The payment offered to her for living in the building will solve her current financial crisis, so she agrees. Befriending a fellow apartment sitter named Ingrid, she settles into life at The Bartholomew. But the longer she stays, the more she begins to notice that things might not be as they seem. In fact, she discovers a dark secret. One that will put her life in danger......

I got totally sucked into this story from the beginning. Jules is so excited about landing a dream job...and getting to live at such a posh address, even temporarily. The story starts out slowly....building up to the moments when she discovers it isn't a dream job....but a nightmare. Such a good story! I love a good, suspenseful thriller -- and this book definitely fits the bill!

This is the first book I've read by Riley Sager. I'm definitely going to read his other books! I really enjoyed Lock Every Door!

I listened to the audio version of this story. Narrated by Dylan Moore, the audio (Penguin Random House Audio) is just shy of 10.5 hours long. Moore gives a superb performance. Excellent listening experience!