Tag: Mystery

Murder in the French Alps? YES PLEASE! That was the first thing that caught my eye about this book. I didn’t need to read much more into the summary to know that this would be a book for my TBR list! This book is set in a remote area of the French Alps and I couldn’t think of a more tantalizing location to set a murder mystery. As we move into what I like to call the longest shortest month of the year (February), I think this is just the book that I need to read! February is always cold, dreary and depressing in the PacNW. It rains, it’s cold and we still have winter storms moving through with snow and ice. Which means we are usually curled up in front of a fireplace with a good book. For me that choice book is usually a murder mystery and this one sounds perfect!

After swooning over the summary, I realized I had read books by Lexie Elliott before! Two in fact and I really enjoyed them so naturally I found myself eager to see what this book was about. I couldn’t fit it in this month’s reading line up but I do have it for next month so I will be sure to share my thoughts with you guys once I am done. This book has been recommended to fans of Ruth Ware and I would say that’s a great author comparison. Elliott writes smart, thought out mysteries that will leave readers hungry for more.

If you love lock room mysteries this is going to be one you want on your radar for this late winter, early spring time. Like with many lock room mysteries, the setting and feel are key and having sampled Elliott’s writing style before, I can say with confidence that she will deliver on this aspect of the mystery. This one is out now and receiving positive reviews, so be sure to get this one on your TBR list and whisk yourself away to the French Alps for a bit of mystery and murder!

Continue reading “Special Feature: Bright and Deadly Things by Lexie Elliott” →

A couple of years ago, I picked up one of P. J. Nolan’s books that was part of the Monkeewrench series which I thought was pretty good. I liked Nolan’s writing style and thought the series was fast paced with a to to enjoy. I hadn’t read any of the other books in the series before and I felt mostly orientated in the series and that it could have been read as a standalone novel without issue. P. J. Nolan is a pseudonym for a mother-daughter writing duo and while sometimes it can be hard with two writers, writing one book, I think in this case it was seamless.

Nolan has been an established author with a large fan base, especially surrounding the Monkeewrench series which is ten books in. I love that they have branched out into a new series featuring Margaret Nolan. While this book is part of a series, I think that Nolan does a great job orientating readers within the story and from the early reviews, most feel that this can also be read as a standalone.

For me the thing that grabbed me about this one was the mix of grit (murder) and glamour (Los Angeles). For me I get a very noir feeling from this book summary. LA has long been associated with glitz and glamour, and this book features the murder of a celebrity. When that world of glitz and glamour comes together to meet with a disturbing homicide, I think it gives the reader a sense of unease which is ripe for a thriller. I love when I am caught off guard and hooked on a story that has this contrasting image of glamour and murder. I think a lot of readers and fans of thrillers/mysteries will find a lot to enjoy in this one, especially under the pen of two talented and proven authors!

Continue reading “Review: The Devil You Know (Detective Margaret Nolan #3) by P. J. Tracy” →