Tag: Mystery

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye

The first thing I said when I saw this book was—-finally a cool interesting book set in Portland!

Living in Oregon, there isn’t an abundance of cool books set here. Sure we have a number of writers from Oregon that have made it into the ‘big time’, but for the most part Oregon isn’t exactly the hippest place to set  your novel in.

In recent years though I have seen a lot of writers—both from Oregon or the PacNW and not—set their books here in my lovely state but it’s still not as popular as say New York or L.A.. I’ve read a few of Faye’s novels and have fallen in love with her writing so besides the fact that this book has Oregon ties, I wanted to read it because she wrote a new book!

The year is 1921, and “Nobody” Alice James is on a cross-country train, carrying a bullet wound and fleeing for her life following an illicit drug and liquor deal gone horribly wrong. Desperate to get as far away as possible from New York City and those who want her dead, she has her sights set on Oregon: a distant frontier that seems the end of the line. Continue reading “Review: The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye” →

Books, Reading

Excerpt: Naughty on Ice (Discreet Retrieval Agency #4) by Maia Chance

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Excerpt: Naughty on Ice (Discreet Retrieval Agency #4) by Maia Chance

Earlier this year I had a chance to start reading this series. Though I started with the third book in the series, I still loved the cozy feel of this mystery series. But before moving on in the series, I did want to go back and read the first two books. So instead of a review for the fourth book in the series, I have an excerpt for you instead!

And the best part of this latest book—-it’s a holiday mystery! If you are looking to gift a holiday mystery or if you are just looking for a holiday mystery to put you in the mood, than be sure to check this one out if it’s not already on your radar!

This excerpt kicks off a blog tour full of reviews and giveaways so don’t miss you chance to get this one for your holiday reads! I posted a link at the end go the excerpt for you to see what else is happening on this tour!

The Discreet Retrieval Agency is doing a brisk holiday business of retrieving lost parcels, grandmas, and stolen wreaths. But with their main squeezes Ralph and Jimmy once more on the back burner, both Lola and Berta pine for a holiday out of New York City. So when they receive a mysterious Christmas card requesting that they retrieve an antique ring at a family gathering in Maple Hill, Vermont, they jump at the chance. Sure, the card is signed Anonymous and it’s vaguely threatening, but it’s Vermont.

In Maple Hill, several estranged members of the wealthy Goddard family gather. And no sooner do Lola and Berta recover the ring–from Great-Aunt Cressida Goddard’s arthritic finger–than Mrs. Goddard goes toes-up, poisoned by her Negroni cocktail on ice. When the police arrive, Lola and Berta are caught-red-handed with the ring, and it becomes clear that they were in fact hired not for their cracker-jack retrieving abilities, but to be scapegoats for murder.
With no choice but to unmask the killer or be thrown in the slammer, Lola and Berta’s investigations lead them deep into the secrets of Maple Hill. In a breathless pursuit along a snowy ridge, with a lovelorn Norwegian ski instructor and country bumpkin hooch smugglers hot on their heels, Lola and Berta must find out once and for all who’s nice…and who’s naughty (summary from Goodreads).

Excerpt

Continue reading “Excerpt: Naughty on Ice (Discreet Retrieval Agency #4) by Maia Chance” →

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsey

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Review: Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsey

As soon as this book arrived at my house, I had to fight off people who wanted to borrow it with a stick. I am not even kidding. It arrived in the afternoon and by the night time, it was MIA.

My mom was watching my kid and she was looking for something to read and found this one  in my sea of books and refused to give it up when I got home. She was hooked on the character and story so I knew I wasn’t getting it back for at least a week.

I finally got it back last week and was able to start reading it. My mom loved it and I was excited to see if it inspired similar feelings for me. When it arrived the first thing that caught my eye was the cover. I absolutely love the purple dress and design of this cover.

It stands out and instantly makes me think of a Maisie Dobbs mystery or other similar historical mysteries…..but theres a paranormal twist in this one and I was eager to see how that played out in this book. Continue reading “Review: Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsey” →

Books, Reading

Excerpt: I INVITED HER IN by Adele Parks

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Excerpt: I INVITED HER IN by Adele Parks

Please join us for an excerpt tour for I Invited Her In About I Invited Her In

Hardcover: 432 Pages

Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (February 5, 2019)

Imagine the worst thing a friend could ever do.

This is worse.

When Mel receives an unexpected email from her oldest friend Abi, it brings back memories she thought she had buried forever. Their friendship belonged in the past. To those carefree days at university.

But Abi is in trouble and needs Mel’s help, and she wants a place to stay. Just for a few days, while she sorts things out. It’s the least Mel can do.

After all, friends look out for each other, don’t they?

I Invited Her In is a blistering tale of wanting what you can’t have, jealousy and revenge from Sunday Times bestseller Adele Parks.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

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Excerpt: The Stranger Game by Peter Gadol

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Excerpt: The Stranger Game by Peter Gadol

The latest novel by Peter Gadol is now out and I am thrilled to be able to share a preview with everyone! This is psychological suspense novel is not Gadol’s first book and judging from the preview, you can tell it’s going to be an interesting story.

Rebecca’s on-again-off-again boyfriend Ezra has gone missing, but when she notifies the police they seem surprisingly unconcerned. They suspect he has been playing the “stranger game,” a viral hit in which players start following others in real-life, as they might otherwise do on social media. As the game spreads, however, the rules begin to change, play grows more intense, and disappearances are reported across the country.

Curious about this popular new obsession, and hoping that she might be able to track down Ezra, Rebecca tries the game for herself. She also meets Carey, a player willing to take the game further than she imagined possible. As her relationship with Carey and involvement in the game deepen, she begins to uncover an unsettling subculture that has infiltrated the world around her. In playing the stranger game, what may lead her closer to finding Ezra may lead her further and further from the life she once lived.

A thought-provoking, haunting novel, The Stranger Gameunearths the connections, both imagined and real, that we build with the people around us in the physical and digital world, and where the boundaries blur between them (summary from Goodreads).

Excerpt

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