Mystery

 

The Lady Has A Past (Burning Cove #5) by Amanda Quick (2021)

Lyra Brazier, born and raised to be a wealthy, socialite, is desperate to do something worthwhile once it becomes clear she will not be allowed to follow her father as CEO of the family’s shipping business. Lyra has a brain and she wants to use it.  After moving to Burning Cove, California, she talks her way into becoming an Investigative Apprentice at Kirk Investigations, run by Raina Kirk.

When Raina disappears at a health spa during Lyra’s first week on the job, Lyra is determined to find her. Raina’s mob-connected lover insists Lyra have a partner and brings in Simon Cage, a mild-mannered book antiquarian who isn’t quite what he appears to be.

Simon and Lyra sign into the health spa as wealthy newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Cage. Simon soon learns that while Lyra is inexperienced, her gut instincts and the ability to get people to talk more than makes up for it.  Simon, who lacks the social graces of Lyra has the unique gift of being able to sense energy from inanimate objects. Between the two of them, they possess all the skills necessary to learn the truth and solve the case before one of them gets killed.

Several of the characters have been featured in the other four Burning Cove books so if you have read them you will be revisiting old friends.  If like me you haven’t read any, you won’t even know it until the last part of the book. Each book can stand on its own.

4.34 stars on Goodreads, 4.7 on Amazon

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library.

Six Weeks to Live by Catherine McKenzie (2021)

A familiar tale with a brand-new twist.  Forty-eight-year-old Jennifer Barnes, mother of triplets and grandmother to twins, never expected the news she receives at a routine doctor’s appointment. Jennifer has a terminal brain tumor and only six weeks to live. She also learns that blood tests from the previous year showed a high concentration of lead, but Jennifer is positive she was never told.  Who wants her dead bad enough to deliberately poison her?

The prime suspect is her husband Jake, who asked for a divorce two earlier, a divorce Jennifer is not willing to grant. Jennifer’s three daughters can’t believe their father is responsible for the poisoning and their doubts lead Jennifer to question what she knows is true. Someone wants her dead and she wants to know who.

McKenzie does a great job developing her characters, with chapters devoted to Jennifer and each of the girls. All four women are flawed so be prepared not be real fond of any of them.

What would you do if told you had only six weeks to live?

3.72 stars of Goodreads, 4.1 on Amazon

This book is not available at EPL. Ask any of the reference librarians to get it for you from an area library. 

The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman (2020)

In a beautiful retirement community, four seniors meet every Thursday in the Jigsaw Room, but they try to solve puzzles of a different sort. The Thursday Murder Club: Joyce, Ron, Ibrahim, and Elizabeth, pore over old files from cold cases, trying to figure out what the police couldn’t. Using each of their particular areas of expertise – Joyce the nurse, Ron the union man, Ibrahim the psychologist, and Elizabeth the…well Elizabeth won’t confirm or deny her previous profession, but it included a very particular set of skills- they are ready to get to the truth. When murders start happening in their community, the group decides to join forces with the local police and help them solve the crimes, whether the police want their help or not. Red herrings abound in this fun and cozy mystery, and everyone is a suspect, even the club members themselves.

The author, Richard Osman, is a British comedian and game show host. His wit makes for some absolutely delightful dialogue that rings true even in its occasional absurdity.

Fans of the movie “Red”, the TV show “Murder She Wrote”, and British humor will thoroughly enjoy this book.

The second book in the series, The Man Who Died Twice, is due to be published in September 2021.

4.02 stars on Goodreads, 4.3 stars on Amazon

Dirt by Stuart Woods

Stone Barrington is a former cop, forced into retirement by a department in which he never fit. Stone holds a law degree and after passing the Bar he is hired by a prestigious New York law firm to handle special cases.  He also maintains his own office where his services are more of an investigative than legal nature. And Stone sleeps with every woman he meets, all of whom are beautiful. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but wonder if Stone and James Bond had ever compared notes.

In the fast-paced Dirt, Stone takes on a blackmail scheme involving Amanda Dart, a nationally syndicated gossip columnist known as "the High Bitch Queen". Amanda receives a fax entitled Dirt containing details of her very private life and learns it has been sent to everybody who is anybody. The fax scheme soon expands to include Amanda's publisher, who also hires Stone, and the gay but closeted editor of a sleazy L.A. tabloid.

Stone is tasked with finding out who is behind the faxes and enlists the help of a former cop who ends up murdered. Stone finds answers hard to come by and his clients begin to take matters into their own hands without Stone’s knowledge. Tension builds as Stone discovers the seemingly random murder of his friend is related to the case.  There is a large cast of potential suspects introduced throughout the book.

Dirt is fast moving story with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing until the surprising reveal.

If you like Dirt and want to read more about Stone Barrington’s cases, there are currently 59 other titles in this series. By the looks of it, Stuart Woods isn’t done yet. Each can be read as a standalone title.

3.89 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 on Amazon