Review: A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard

 

A Map to Murder (The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco #3) by Michelle Chouinard

Publication Date: September 22th 2026 by Minotaur Books 

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Capri Sanzio runs a successful San Francisco tour business specializing in the city’s true-crime history. After helping solve two murders, detailing the events in a book and podcast has earned her some attention. So, when Jennifer Torres disappears while investigating the unsolved 1967 murder of her aunt Marilyn, Jennifer’s daughter asks Capri to help find her.

 

Capri digs into Marilyn’s murder, hoping to retrace Jennifer’s steps. Finding people who knew Marilyn nearly sixty years ago isn’t easy, but a threatening phone call shows Capri is on the right track.

 

A Map to Murder was an engrossing mystery! I loved Capri’s determination and ingenuity in searching for answers, and I was especially happy she had Detective Petito as a resource and for support. I’m really enjoying their pairing, as well as the precautions he encourages Capri to take.

 

I thought I had the mystery figured out, but I was wrong, and I loved being surprised by how everything came together. Things got tense, but Capri kept her head!

 

As with the previous books, I also enjoyed the bits of San Francisco history woven into the story. I didn’t know much about the 1967 “Summer of Love” or the hippie movement surrounding it, so I found that especially interesting.

 

This is the third book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone since the central mystery is resolved by the end. That said, I’d recommend reading the series in order to fully appreciate the relationships and previous cases. I hope we get another book in the series!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Beloved true crime tour guide Capri Sanzio returns in Michelle Chouinard’s A Map to Murder, the next book in the USA Today bestselling Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco Mysteries.

True crime tour guide and serial killer aficionado Capri Sanzio knows how central the Summer of Love is to San Francisco’s identity—even if she’s always had conflicted feelings about it. She’s used to weaving feel-good hippie culture and music into her Haight-Ashbury true crime tales, centering her tours around what happens when a revolution looking to lift up the best ideals humanity has to offer clashes with the darkest souls hidden among humanity’s shadows. But what she’s not used to is a guest stepping out from those shadows to drop a murder investigation directly into her lap.

A woman has gone missing in San Francisco after trying to solve her aunt’s murder: a cold case from the Summer of Love. Capri sees herself in the missing woman—both were unable to find the answers they desperately wanted as kids—and sees her own daughter in the tour guest begging for her help. Unable to turn the case away, Capri finds herself following a trail of flower-power footprints turned deadly—straight to a killer who has her in their sights.

Giveaway! 3 Cozy Paranormal Reads

 I'm posting a new giveaway!

3 Paranormal Cozy Reads perfect for reading now!

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

Ghost Business by Jen DeLuca

Road Trip With a Vampire by Jenna Levine

The giveaway is open to US Residents only. Just fill out the Giveaway Tools form for a chance to win. *It will ask for your email so I can contact you if I draw your name as winner.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Fall To-Read List 2026

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Artsy Reader where each week they post a new top ten list and ask fellow bookish folk to share their lists on that topic.

This week the theme is: Books on My Fall 2026 To-Read List:

I just checked and I read all on my Summer TBR, so yay! 

Most of the books here are releasing over the fall, but a few are already out:

The Black Orchid by Loreth Anne White (9/1/26)

The Riddle Maker (Porter Beck #4) by Bruce Borgos (11/17/26)

Dive Bar at the End of the Road by Kelley Armstrong (10/6/26)

I'm currently listening to this one and it's good!

The Final Final Girl by James Kaine (9/15/26)

Thunderbird Ranch by Laura Griffin (11/10/26)

Cold Redemption (Psy-Changeling Trinity #10) by Nalini Singh (12/1/26)

This Inevitable Ruin (Dungeon Crawler Carl #7) Matt Dinniman (11/13/24)

This one's going to take a while since the audio book is over 28 hours!

Cozy Little Christmas (Shelter Springs #4) by RaeAnne Thayne (10/6/26)

Birth of the Witch (The Coven of Three Trilogy #1) by Nora Roberts (11/17/26)

Swipe Bite (Corporate Bloodsuckers #1) by Alexandra Vasti (11/10/26)

What's on your fall TBR? 

Sunday Post #353

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

Nothing terribly exciting to report here. I worked, had my teeth cleaned and got my haircut. I've been having issues with my right hand. Pain in the knuckles that might be related to my carpel tunnel. Not sure what I'm going to do about it. We had my sister and her husband over for dinner last night.

Blogger seems to be giving issues still. My blog roll on the side isn't updating with new posts on some of the blogs I follow and I noticed my Goodreads challenge below has books listed that I've read a while back.

 I have to work tomorrow (Sunday). Other than that fall is definitely in the air.

500 Piece Puzzle Completed: America's Favorite National Parks by Pippi Post

Puzzle 49 of 2026

Read:

I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas-4 Stars

Lost Talismans and a Tequila by Annette Marie-4.5 Stars

Light the Stars by RaeAnne Thayne-3 Stars

Not a Word by Linwood Barclay-4 Stars

Received:

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio and Ace!

How was your week?

Review: I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

 

I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

Publication Date: September 15th 2026 by St. Martin's Press & Macmillan Audio

Pages: 320

Audio Book Length: 12hrs 34min

Narrator: Jenn Lee

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

When Willa was in high school, she was the only survivor after six people were murdered in the woods. Even though she was cleared as a suspect, the town still blamed her. After graduating, she moved away, changed her name, and became a successful artist. She's built a quiet life for herself until someone leaks her identity and the media descends on her home.

 

When she learns that her beloved art teacher has died, Willa decides to return to her hometown for the funeral. She'll be escaping the media frenzy, but she'll also be going back to a place where most people despise her.

 

I was freaked out by the flashbacks to Willa's past. I was enraged that her parents didn't believe her about the strange things happening in their house. I'd have been terrified! I was also annoyed by the way the town treated her. There was a lot going on, but everything came together in the end.

 

For most of the story, I Am the Monster Under the Bed is a mystery with horror elements, but things get wild by the end! I was completely riveted, worried about Willa, and wondering how everything would work out. This is a great read to add to your spooky TBR.

 

I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook and would recommend either version. Jenn Lee did a fantastic job bringing the characters to life, performing both male and female voices across a range of ages with just the right emotions.

4 Stars

Book Description:

TIME ONLY MAKES THE NIGHTMARE MORE REAL.

Something lives under Willa’s bed. As an adult, her fondest childhood memories are of the invisible entity under her bed who taught her how to read. Now thirty-two, Willa is a reclusive but successful painter until a bombshell news report exposes her identity as the controversial survivor of the unsolved Rapture Mystery Slayings, a small-town tragedy that splashed across headlines during her senior year of high school. Six teenagers died in the woods while Willa walked free, and everyone thinks she killed them.

When an old classmate calls about a funeral, Willa reluctantly travels to her sleepy hometown, where the possessed forest that stole her friends looms. The trees whistle for her attention, but she knows better than to listen. And the unexplained knocking from the shadows in the basement of her decaying childhood home is honestly the least of her problems.

As her past pulls her back to the place she swore she’d never return, Willa is drawn toward the monster she left behind—and becoming the villain her hometown has always believed her to be.

Review: I'll Be Watching You by Allison Brennan

 

I'll Be Watching You (Angelhart Investigations #3) by Allison Brennan

Publication Date: September 15th 2026 by Hanover Square Press & Harlequin Audio

Pages: 384

Audiobook Length: 10hrs 39min

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

Three and a half years ago, Margo Angelhart's father, Cooper, confessed to murdering a fellow doctor. Margo never believed he was guilty, but neither Cooper nor her mother, Ava, would explain why he confessed. After leaving the family PI firm over the disagreement, Margo is finally back working with her family.

 

When a nurse from Cooper's past contacts Margo with potential evidence, she's murdered before she can talk. At the same time, Cooper is unexpectedly transferred to a maximum-security prison. As the danger escalates, Ava finally reveals the truth behind Cooper's confession, putting the entire family at risk.

 

I'm a big fan of Allison Brennan's mysteries, and I'll Be Watching You delivers another compelling mix of likable characters, suspense, and page-turning twists. As the culmination of a mystery that's been building since the first book, this installment brings long-awaited answers while keeping the tension high.

 

The investigation is both methodical and urgent, with ongoing personal storylines. Margo and DEA agent Cal continue to grow closer, while hints of a romance between Nate and Luisa add another layer of interest.

 

I alternated between the audiobook and e-book and can recommend either. Hillary Huber gives another excellent performance, bringing both the characters and suspense to life. She's one of my favorite narrators, and her performance continues to elevate this series!

4 Stars

Book Description:

In New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan’s latest Angelhart Investigations novel, Margo finally has a new lead in the case that tore her family apart.

Private investigator Margo Angelhart has recently rejoined her family’s PI business, but she never forgot the reason she walked away. Three and a half years ago, her father, Dr. Cooper Angelhart, pled guilty to killing his colleague. While she never believed he was guilty, her mother, Ava, refused to help investigate and wouldn’t explain why.

When a nurse who once worked with Cooper reaches out, Margo leaps at what could be a potential lead…only to stumble across the nurse’s grisly murder. Then, Cooper is mysteriously transferred to a penitentiary out of state in the middle of the night, and Ava finally discloses why her husband confessed to a murder he didn’t commit.

Now the entire Angelhart family must fight to clear Cooper’s name. But every step they take drags them deeper into a deadly conspiracy…and into the crosshairs of some very powerful people with fortunes on the line. They’ve killed to keep their secrets before. And this time, the target is an Angelhart.

Sunday Post #352

 

The Sunday Post is hosted by Kimberly @ Caffeinated reviewer book blog, and is a post to recap my bookish and non-bookish things from the last week. I'm also linking up to The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb Nance @Readerbuzz.

Happy Sunday!

I skipped posting last week because I was out of town and it was a busy family trip. We flew from Northern California to Montana Wednesday before the Labor Day weekend and met out son and daughter, SIL, DIL and all the grandkids. We flew out with the couple we went to Italy with, our close friends who are sort of related to us. The husband is the brother to our BIL. Are you confused? I'm confused after all the chaos, haha! I had planned to fly home on Sunday, but my daughter and SIL asked if I would fly back with their kids (8 & 11yr old) back to Texas on Monday so they could stay a few days to take care of some business and the kids could go to school. 

I forget how it is to have kids that age and flying with transfers back to Texas with them was a little stressful as I had to go to the gate to get our seat assignments with each flight because it was booked so late they had us separated. Plus, I wasn't familiar with the Dallas airport layout (that was our stop) and we had to catch a tram over to another terminal to get to our gate. It all worked out and we got to their house in Austin around 9:30pm. I ordered food to be there when we got home since we didn't have time to get dinner. So we didn't eat until after 10pm and the kids had to go to school the next day. Chauffeuring kids all over the place (school, cheer and football practice). I love my grandkids but I was happy to get back to my calm life on Thursday. I was gone four extra nights. 

Not sure you can see, but the white stuff on the ground is hail. We had two hail storms in Montana with lightning, thunder and tons of rain. It was epic and pretty!

This is a fishing pond at the place we stay at in Montana. We had lunch and some did a bit of fishing. The weather was so nice, in the upper 60s-70s.

The fish pond is bigger than you can see here, but I thought the photo was so pretty with the reflection.

500 Piece Puzzle Completed in Texas: Literary Locations by Pippi Post. It depicts locations from Jane Austen's novels. My daughter has a ton of puzzles at her house so I had a lot to choose from. I grabbed a 500 piece because I didn't have time for anything more.

Puzzle 47 of 2026

1000 Piece Puzzle Completed: Farmers Market by Spaghetti Tree. I actually had most of this one done before we left for Montana and finished it when I got home. 

Puzzle 48 of 2026

Read:

This is two weeks worth of reading.

The Damage Man (Orphan X #11.5) by Gregg Hurwitz-4 Stars

Rapport: Friendship, Solidarity, Communion, Empathy (Murderbot Diaries #2.5) by Martha Wells-3.5 Stars

A Match For the Amish Beekeeper by Laurel Blount-4 Stars

Mother Daughter Sister Stranger by Hank Phillippi Ryan-3.5 Stars

Magic Gifts (Kate Daniels #5.6) by Ilona Andrews-4.5 Stars

The Oxford Guide to Scandal & Lies (The Oxford Guide #1) by Kate Westbury-4 Stars

The Heiress of Northanger Abbey by Nancy Bilyeau-4 Stars

I'll Be Watching You (Angelhart Investigations #3) by Allison Brennan-4 Stars

I read most of these before I left for Montana or on a plane. And two were novellas, one a short story!

Received:

I Am the Monster Under the Bed by Emily Zinnikas

I'll Be Watching You by Allison Brennan

After We Fall by Deborah Clack

Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia

The Dying Light by Ann Cleeves

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Harlequin Audio, Hanover Square Press, Haven, Recorded Books, Great Reads Book Promotions, Berkley and Minotaur Books!

How was your week?