Review: The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

 

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels by Janice Hallett

Publication Date: January 23rd 2024 by Atria Books

Pages: 432

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Amanda Bailey, a true crime writer, is covering an old case where members of a cult convinced two teenagers that their unborn child was the anti-Christ and needed to be sacrificed. Thankfully, the young mother sobers and escapes the cult with her baby before that happens. Now that baby is turning eighteen, and Amanda’s bosses think that will stir up interest in their planned new series covering the old case. Unfortunately for Amanda, she’s paired up with an old colleague, Oliver, a fellow reporter with whom she has a history with. It's not a good history. I was stunned by that reveal and how it factored in things played out!

The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels was a unique kind of story recounted in text messages, WhatsApp convos, emails, transcribed interviews, book excerpts, etc. Took a bit to get into and to sort out the many players. It was a gradual build of intensity, spooky in parts, and not what I was expecting. Weird, scary stuff!  A bit tragic, but boy, what a page turner as things wrapped up!

4 Stars

Book Description:

Everyone knows the story of the Alperton Angels: the cult who brainwashed a teenage girl into believing her baby was the anti-Christ. When the girl came to her senses and called the police, the Angels committed suicide and mother and baby disappeared.

Now, true crime author Amanda Bailey is looking to revive her career by writing a book on the case. The Alperton baby has turned eighteen; finding them will be the scoop of the year. But rival author Oliver Menzies is just as smart, better connected, and also on the baby’s trail.

As Amanda and Oliver are forced to collaborate, they realize that the truth about the Angels is much darker and stranger than they’d ever imagined, and in pursuit of the story they risk becoming part of it.

Sunday Post #241

 

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.

I didn't post last week because we were on our way back from Central California/Sequoias after a trip with our kids and grandkids. Plus, I was on overload with the arcs I committed to posting the last two weeks. I was totally stressed to get it all done on top of working and our trip. I won't be doing that again anytime soon! 

We had a ton of rain again, but the last couple of days we've had some sunshine and temps in the 60s! My primrose are blooming and everything is green. We have snow in the forecast for next weekend. We'll see.

Primrose

First daffodil of the year

Peanut!

Read:

This is for the last two weeks.

Village in the Dark by Iris Yamashita: 4 Stars

Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz: 5 Stars

Fish Out of Water by Katie Ruggle: 4 Stars

Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues by Diana Rowland: 5 Stars

The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong: 4.5 Stars

Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy: 4.5 Stars

The Diamond and the Duke by Christi Caldwell: 4.5 Stars

Leopard's Hunt by Christine Feehan: 3 Stars

Received/Purchased/Library Lend:

Thank you to Berkley and Bethany House Publishers!

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Review & Excerpt: The Diamond and the Duke by Christi Caldwell

The Diamond and the Duke (All the Duke's Sins #3) by Christi Caldwell

Publication Date: February 20th 2024 by Berkley

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Loved this story so much! Ellie was a breath of fresh air, sweet, quirky and I loved how she spoke her mind! She has no plans to marry and give up her independence and rights as she was treated horribly by her now dead father, but she’d make an exception for one man: Wesley.

Wesley came back from the war a broken man, both physically and mentally. He is hurt and angry, and everyone tiptoes around him except for Ellie.

The Diamond and the Duke was such a delight! Unrequited love, shared pain, and love letters (unbeknownst to Wesley) bond these two. I relished their interactions and was so moved by the comfort and love they provided each other! While still being deeply emotional, I appreciated the story was low on ridiculous drama! 

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

When a wounded soldier and self-proclaimed "beast" finds unlikely friendship with a headstrong and unconventional beauty, they quickly find themselves weaving a tale as old as time…
 
Despite a hero’s return to England from the Napoleonic Wars, Wesley Audley isolates from the ton. Deep wounds from the horrors of combat—and the despair of a broken heart—left him scarred. As he struggles to cope and resume his place in Polite Society, Wesley is quick to cut himself off from everyone…except for Ellie Balfour. 
 
Independent and strong-willed, Ellie has dreams of captaining her own husband-free life and a penchant for meddling in other’s business. She knows befriending Wesley is a risk but Ellie can’t bear to see his heartache. Nor can she seem to silence all the temptingly intimate thoughts his nearness provokes. 
 
But Ellie is yet to face a battle she can’t win—and Wesley’s heart is worth the fight. If only her campaigns ever went to plan…

Excerpt:

Photo Credit: Kimberly Rocha

About the author:

Christi Caldwell is the USA Today bestselling author of the Sinful Brides series and the Heart of a Duke series. She blames novelist Judith McNaught for luring her into the world of historical romance. When Christi was at the University of Connecticut, she began writing her own tales of love—ones where even the most perfect heroes and heroines had imperfections. She learned to enjoy torturing her couples before they earned their well-deserved happily ever after. Christi lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she spends her time writing and being a mommy to the most inspiring little boy and empathetic, spirited girls who, with their mischievous twin antics, offer an endless source of story ideas. Learn more online at www.christicaldwell.com.

Blog Tour Review: Chasing the Horizon by Mary Connealy

 

Chasing the Horizon (A Western Light #1) by Mary Connealy

Publication Date: February 13th 2024 by Bethany House Publishers

Pages: 304

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | Booksbub | Publisher | Audible | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Ever since her mother was wrongly committed to an insane asylum by her awful father, Beth Rutledge has been carefully planning a way to get her out. She needs to get them both away from his cruel domination. Heading west on a wagon train isn’t something her father would ever expect, so they pose as sisters and settle into the long journey ahead. Hopefully, they can stay under the radar, because Beth knows her father will never stop looking for them.

Jake Hoult is one of the wagon scouts helping the train make the journey out west. A trip he’s done many times over. He suspects there’s more to Beth’s story. It seems these women are running from danger, so he keeps alert and observant.

As the days and months pass by, Jake and Beth become close, discussing hopes, dreams and the things needed to make their plans successful. Their sweet romance filled me with joy!

 

It chills me not so long ago, a woman could be committed easily by her husband or father on their word alone. Often for flimsy excuses. The treatments sounded brutal and sadistic, and my heart broke for Beth’s mother and what she endured. Thankfully, the recollections were a small part of the story.

Chasing the Horizon was an exciting, suspenseful adventure! I find stories about the wagon trains making their way out west fascinating! What an undertaking it would’ve been! I was thoroughly engrossed in Beth and her mother’s journey. Beth’s father was an awful man, and I was on edge over his continued pursuit, but his nasty character didn’t go unnoticed. I was pleased with how it all turned out and I’m looking forward to the next in the series featuring Kat and Sebastian in Toward the Dawn!

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

Her only chance at freedom waits across the horizon

Upon uncovering her tyrannical father's malevolent plot to commit her to an asylum, Beth Rutledge fabricates a plan of her own. She will rescue her mother, who had already been sent to the asylum, and escape together on a wagon train heading west. Posing as sisters, Beth and her mother travel with the pioneers in hopes of making it to Idaho before the others start asking too many questions.

Wagon-train scout Jake Holt senses that the mysterious women in his caravan are running from something. When rumors begin to spread of Pinkerton agents searching relentlessly for wanted criminals who match the description of those on his wagon train, including Beth, she begins to open up to him, and he learns something more sinister is at hand. Can they risk trusting each other with their lives--and their hearts--when danger threatens their every step?

 

AUTHOR BIO

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's daughters, and has many other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | X | INSTAGRAM | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

Review: The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace

 

The Framed Women of Ardmore House by Brandy Schillace

Publication Date: February 13th 2024 by Hanover Square Press

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Books-a-Million | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Jo Jones inherits an estate, Ardemore House, in England. While she’s never seen it, Jo’s happy to leave the US behind after losing her job and divorcing. She’s eager for a new start. However, the estate is run-down, and Sid, the “caretaker” isn’t keen on moving on, but she doesn't trust him. Soon after he leaves, Jo discovers a painting is missing and they have a very public argument in the local pub.

Sid is murdered at the cottage on her estate, and while Jo is part of the suspect pool, there’s more than a few with better motives for killing Sid. Besides the murder, there’s a mystery surrounding the identity of the girl in the painting, one of Jo’s distant relatives.

The story is told from the POV of Jo and also DCI James MacAdams, the detective investigating Sid’s murder.  I really warmed to Jo and was rooting for her to thrive in her new circumstances! Being neurodivergent and hyperlexic she didn’t always pick up on social cues, but she excelled in picking up things that not everyone else noticed.

I really enjoyed The Framed Women of Ardemore House! It was an engrossing mystery/police procedural with interesting, multi-layered characters I’d like to get to know better! I liked the interactions between MacAdams and Jo. There were hints of a possible romance, maybe? I’d be on board for that. While the murder was solved, there were some loose strings that lead me to think there will be another story coming. If so, count me in!

 

4 Stars

Book Summary:

An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.

After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.

With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…

Author Bio: 

Brandy Schillace, PhD,  is a historian of medicine and the critically acclaimed author of Death's Summer Coat: What Death and Dying Teach Us About Life and Living and Clockwork Futures: The Science of Steampunk. The editor-in-chief of the journal Medical Humanities, she previously worked as a professor of literature and in research and public engagement at the Dittrick Medical History Center and Museum. Brandy also hosts the Peculiar Book Club Podcast, a twice-monthly show.

The Framed Women of Ardemore House, featuring an autistic protagonist caught at the center of a murder mystery, is her fiction debut. Brandy is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation. Find her at https://brandyschillace.com/ 

Social links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Book Instagram

Peculiar Book Club Podcast, Facebook Group

Review: The Boy Who Cried Bear by Kelley Armstrong

 

The Boy Who Cried Bear (Haven's Rock #2) by Kelley Armstrong

Publication Date: February 20st 2024 by Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books

Pages: 352

Audio Book Length: 10hrs 19min

Narrator: Thérèse Plummer

Source: Publishers

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

The Boy Who Cried Bear is book two in the Rockton spinoff, where Casey and Eric have started their own refuge town, Haven's Rock, after Rockton was dissolved. The series is best read in order as there’s a lot of history even though each book has a separate mystery that’s solved by the end.

I have loved the Rockton series from the start! A town off-the-grid, hidden, a shelter for someone when conventional justice has failed, such as a victim of stalking, an abusive partner, wrongfully accused, etc., While Rockton supposedly vetted the people before granting sanctuary, only allowing the innocent, non-violent in, we found out that wasn’t always the case.

 

In this installment, there are several candidates that Emily has sent their way, and unlike Rockton, there are couples and even families in the mix. One family is Dana and her two sons, thirteen-year-old Carson, and ten-year-old, Max. Dana was shot, and their father was murdered. On one of their hikes, Max spots a “bear man” stalking their party. This is the second time Max has seen this and the first time there was little evidence to corroborate his account and so he’s hesitant to even say anything, but another in their group, Gunnar, also spots something. Is there a bear stalking the residents or is something more dangerous afoot?

 

There’s a personal issue that comes up for Casey and Eric, but they must put that on the backburner while they have such a serious, time-sensitive situation.

 

This was a disturbing case that had me on the edge of my seat! As usual, Casey and Eric filter the nonsense out and get to the heart of the matter. I love that Casey and Eric work so well together, mostly a step ahead of nasty people. The revelations about their location set up a potentially dangerous situation as they try and make Haven’s Rock a refuge for the vulnerable! I absolutely love this series and I’m eager to find out what happens next!

 

I alternately listened to and read Murder at Haven’s Rock and recommend either version! Thérèse Plummer narrates the audio version, as with the previous books, and she performs all voices, male and female wonderfully! She’s one of my all-time favorite narrators and her performance here is perfection! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed.

4.5 Stars

Book Description:

In The Boy Who Cried Bear, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong keeps readers on the edge of their seats while detective Casey Duncan tries to locate the threat before it’s too late. . .

Haven’s Rock is a well-hidden town surrounded by forest. And it’s supposed to be, being that it’s a refuge for those who need to disappear. Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton already feel at home in their new town, which reminds them of where they first met in Rockton. And while they know how to navigate the woods and its various dangers, other residents don’t. Which is why people aren't allowed to wander off alone.

When Max, the town’s youngest resident—taught to track animals by Eric—fears a bear is stalking a hiking party, alarms are raised. Even stranger, the ten-year-old swears the bear had human eyes. Casey and Eric know the dangers a bear can present, so they’re taking it seriously. But odd occurrences are happening all around them, and when a dead body turns up, they’re not sure what they’re up against.

Audiobook Review: Lone Wolf by Gregg Hurwitz

 

Lone Wolf (Orphan X #9) by Gregg Hurwitz

Publication Date: February 13th 2024 by Macmillan Audio

Pages: 400

Audio Book Length: 13hrs 13min

Narrators: Scott Brick

Source: Publisher 

Rating: ★★★★★

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

My Thoughts:

Lone Wolf is the 9th in the Orphan X series, and I’ve loved every installment! It’s a series best read in order, so if you haven’t started the series, go grab book one and prepare for an amazing, exciting ride!

Evan Smoak was taken from his foster home and trained as an elite assassin for a covert government operation and then left the program when his conscience demanded it. Now Evan operates as The Nowhere Man helping the helpless when they have nowhere else to turn.

In Lone Wolf Evan is at a low point personally, but he must quickly shake off his gloom when a young girl calls the hotline and asks for help finding her lost dog. Evan reluctantly agrees and “the case of the lost dog” quickly turns into sooo much more! Parts are extremely concerning as it mirrors real-life with AI and it’s chilling! As usual, Evan has his ever-growing collection of friends at his back, Joey, Tommy, and Melinda assist with the investigation.

I’ve said this before, but I think one of the reasons I love this series so much is because justice usually wins out. The baddies get retribution, something I long to see in real life, but doesn’t always happen. And Evan’s just so badass! Even when you think he’s cornered into a situation he can’t possibly get out of, he somehow prevails! Although, there was a comedy of errors when he gets his own line “Look at me closely. And ask yourself: Do I look scared?” back from nine-seven-year-old lady! It was a good lesson for him! Also, so many laughs over Evan having to endure looking through the many, many photos and videos of Sofia’s beloved, ugly dog!!!

The main conflict is resolved, but boy, that surprise at the end could change things! As usual, I’m eagerly anticipating the next installment!

I listened to the audiobook version, the way I’ve “read” the entire series. Scott Brick is a fantastic narrator, bringing Evan to life. He IS Evan Smoak to me even now. His female voices and accents are spot on, and his comedic timing is wonderful! I listen at my normal 1.5x-1.75x normal speed.

5 Stars

Book Description:

Once a black book government assassin known as Orphan X, Evan Smoak left the program, went deep underground, and reinvented himself as someone who will go anywhere, and risk everything to help the truly desperate who have nowhere else to turn. Since then, Evan has fought international crime syndicates and drug cartels, faced down the most powerful men in the world and even brought down a President. Struggling with an unexpected personal crisis, Evan goes back to the very basics of his mission - and this time, the truly desperate is a little girl who wants him to find her missing dog.

Not his usual mission, and not one Evan embraces with enthusiasm, but this unlikely, tiny job quickly explodes into his biggest mission yet. one that finds him battered between twisted AI technocrat billionaires, a mysterious female assassin who seems a mirror of himself, and personal stakes so gut-wrenching he can scarcely make sense of them .

Evan's mission pushes him to his limit - he must find and take down the assassin known only as the Wolf, before she succeeds in completing her mission and killing the people who can identify her - a teenaged daughter of her last target, and Evan himself. Matched skill for skill, instinct for instinct, Evan must outwit an opponent who will literally stop at nothing if he is to survive.

Blog Tour Spotlight: The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace

 I meant to have this read and reviewed for the tour but I'm so behind. I will say that I'm currently reading The Framed Women of Ardemore House by Brandy Schillace and enjoying it immensely! I'm rooting for Jo and want to get to the bottom of this mystery! At any rate, I have book details and an excerpt to share below!

The Framed Women of Ardmore House by Brandy Schillace

Publication Date: February 13th 2024 by Hanover Square Press

Pages: 336

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |Books-a-Million | Bookshop.org | Goodreads

Excerpt:

Ardemore House artwork credit: Brandy Schillace

Interior Artwork inside Ardemore House-artwork credit Brandy Schillace

Book Summary:

An abandoned English manor. A peculiar missing portrait. A cozy, deviously clever murder mystery, perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

Jo Jones has always had a little trouble fitting in. As a neurodivergent, hyperlexic book editor and divorced New Yorker transplanted into the English countryside, Jo doesn’t know what stands out more: her Americanisms or her autism.

After losing her job, her mother, and her marriage all in one year, she couldn’t be happier to take possession of a possibly haunted (and clearly unwanted) family estate in North Yorkshire. But when the body of the moody town groundskeeper turns up on her rug with three bullets in his back, Jo finds herself in potential danger—and she’s also a potential suspect. At the same time, a peculiar family portrait vanishes from a secret room in the manor, bearing a strange connection to both the dead body and Jo’s mysterious family history.

With the aid of a Welsh antiques dealer, the morose local detective, and the Irish innkeeper’s wife, Jo embarks on a mission to clear herself of blame and find the missing painting, unearthing a slew of secrets about the town—and herself—along the way. And she’ll have to do it all before the killer strikes again…

Author Bio: 

Brandy Schillace, PhD,  is a historian of medicine and the critically acclaimed author of Death's Summer Coat: What Death and Dying Teach Us About Life and Living and Clockwork Futures: The Science of Steampunk. The editor-in-chief of the journal Medical Humanities, she previously worked as a professor of literature and in research and public engagement at the Dittrick Medical History Center and Museum. Brandy also hosts the Peculiar Book Club Podcast, a twice-monthly show.

The Framed Women of Ardemore House, featuring an autistic protagonist caught at the center of a murder mystery, is her fiction debut. Brandy is also autistic, though has not (to her knowledge) been a suspect in a murder investigation. Find her at https://brandyschillace.com/ 

Social links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Book Instagram

Peculiar Book Club Podcast, Facebook Group