These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald (Jess Lambert #1) (2023)

 

Neve Maguire and her 16-year-old daughter Ash have moved to Black Lake where Neve had spent her summers as a child but never returned after a traumatic incident occurred there 20-years before. Neve appears to have everything, but a violent home invasion has left her wanting a fresh start. On their first night at the house, Neve spots her childhood friend, Bailey Nelson standing in the rain starring in the window. The next day Bailey’s body is discovered in the lake, killed much earlier the previous day.

Jess Lambert is the detective assigned to the case and she's desperate to prove to her male collegiates she can still do the job. A tragic car accident in which Jess’s daughter Isla lost her life, has left Jess in constant pain, walking with a limp, and requiring the assistance of a cane to get around. What no one knows is that Jess sees and talks to Isla’s ghost. Neve sees her too.

When Jess interviews Neve, every instinct tells her Neve is hiding something. The discovery of the body links the two women together as secrets from the past and present are revealed through the alternating narratives of Neve, Jess and “the killer”.

3.91 stars on Goodreads, 4.0 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 Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer (2023)

 

Debut author Meg Shaffer has written a truly entertaining book about the power of reading and hope. Lucy Hart, a teacher’s aide, knows what it is like to grow up with parents who don’t love her. She sought and found solace in the Clock Island books authored by Jack Masterson, excerpts of which appear throughout her story. Adult Lucy wishes more than anything to have the finances necessary to foster and adopt seven-year-old orphan Christopher Lamb, a student she has taken under her wing and shared the gift of reading. Together they’ve read all of the Clock Tower books and one of their favorite things to do is play the wishing game introduced in the Clock Island books.

Jack Masterson lives on the actual Clock Island in Maine, along with his grumpy but handsome illustrator Hugo Reese. When Jack writes his first book in five years, he decides to hold a contest on Clock Island with the prize being the one and only copy of the manuscript. Lucy is thrilled to be one of the four chosen contestants; if she could win the manuscript, life for her and Christopher would change dramatically.

The book, reminiscent of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Harry Porter, will make you laugh, cry, and jump for joy. The characters are complex, yet loveable. The description of the island, the riddles and games in the story show off the powerful imagination of the author. This is one of the best books I have read in a good while.

 4.28 stars on Goodreads, 4.5 on Amazon

Curiosity Thrilled the Cat (Magical Cats Mystery #1) by Sofie Kelly (2011)

I have read many cozy mysteries over the years but none I enjoyed as much as Curiosity Thrilled the Cat. Sofie Kelly adds whimsy and magic to the elements one would expect to find in this kind of mystery which made for a very charming story.

Kathleen Paulson has recently moved to Mayville Heights, Minnesota to oversee the renovation of the town’s Carnegie Library. Unfortunately, the project is moving slowly due to a series of accidents. Kathleen shares her home with her two adopted cats, Hercules and Owen, each with a distinct personality and talent. As the town prepares for the annual Wild Rose Summer Music Festival, Kathleen discovers a dead body and becomes the primary suspect of a murder investigation as the evidence against her mounts.

Unlike most cozy mysteries, it is the cats who are the amateur detectives, bringing Katherine “gifts” that somehow provide clues to solving the mystery. It is up to Kathleen to interpret what the items mean and how they fit into the case.

Like the first book in any series, Curiosity Thrilled the Cat sets the stage for future installments, providing the necessary background information about the town and its residents.

Eastpointe does not own any of the titles in this series.  If you are interested in reading this or any of Sofia Kelly’s other books ask a reference librarian to get it for you from an area library.

3.9 stars on Goodreads, 4.5 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 Last Heir to Blackwood Library by Hester Fox (2023)

 

Ivy Radcliffe is a young woman living hand to mouth in post Would War I London when she is summoned to Yorkshire where she learns she is the new Lady Hayworth, the last living heir to the Blackwood Library and a large estate, which began life as an abbey. Ivy knows nothing about this line of Radcliffe’s or the house. At Blackwood Abbey, Ivy is met by an uninviting staff who obviously know something they are not sharing, but is determined to make the best of things in her new home.

A book lover at heart, Ivy is delighted to find the house contains a library that has been neglected for years.  She sets out to catalog the vast library’s collection but the more times Ivy spends in the room, the worse her headaches become and she fears she is losing her memory when staff members tell her she is asking the same questions over and over.

In the local village, Ivy meets Sir Arthur Mabry, to whom Ivy is immediately drawn to Arthur because of his interest in books and the library. She learns he is the member of a mysterious club whose members are very interested in restoring the library to its former glory and opening it up to the public. Misunderstanding Arthur’s meaning and his true intentions, Ivy begins lending some of the library’s books to the local villagers, only to learn that the title of the books lent out seem to be a prophesy of events to follow.

What is the relationship of the library to the nun mentioned in the first chapter who was walled up inside the abbey centuries ago?  Why is the chauffer continuously begging Ivy to leave the estate?  Why is Arthur so interested in the library? You’ll have to read The Last Heir to Blackwood Library to learn the answers. This book hits all the elements of the gothic novel.

This is only Hester Fox Book owned by Eastpointe.  If you are interesting in reading other titles by her, a reference librarian can get them for you from an area library.

3.45 stars on Goodreads, 3.9 on Amazon

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais (2022)

 

Moonshyne Manor is home to a sisterhood of five octogenarian witches, one of them being a ghost and another returning from somewhere, who spend their days running a distillery out of the manor that has been their home for most of their lives. The story begins with an angry mob of townspeople who want the manor foreclosed on due to a defaulted mortgage and demolished to make room for an amusement park named Man’s World.

In addition to being behind on the mortgage payments, the witches face another threat in the form of a relative of the former owner who is determined to get revenge for the theft of the manor he claims was rightfully his. Although each sister has her own unique magical skill and was once a very powerful witch, their powers are diminishing with each passing year. In an attempt to set things right, Queenie, the unofficial head of the sisterhood, makes a bargain with an evil far more powerful than anything they’ve ever faced.

The witches’ are aided by a young girl named who is eager to smash the patriarchy that exists in the town. Though the witches don’t want to interact with her at first, Persephone becomes very important to the story. As the foreclosure deadline approaches, fractures among the sisterhood are revealed, and secrets are exposed, all leading up to a fiery confrontation with their enemies.

Each of the characters has a complete backstory and the reader will want to root for them. Marais often makes mention of events that have yet to happen or have happened in the past but doesn’t fill the reader in until much later in the book. That if nothing else will keep you reading.

Includes recipes for all the potions mentioned.

3.83 stars on Goodreads, 4.3 on Amazon

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna (2022)

 

Mika Moon is a 31 year-old witch in England. Orphaned at a young age, she was raised by fellow witch Primrose Everly. As a child, all Mika’s basic needs were provided for her but her time with Primrose was limited and none of the household was allowed to stay if they got a hint of Mika’s magical powers. Between Primrose’s absence and that fact the governesses never stayed long, Mika is convinced she is unlovable.

Mika has been taught to hide her magical abilities and stay away from other witches for fear of drawing attention to their powers. Being a bit of a rebel, Mika uploads a series of videos to the Internet of herself pretending to be a witch making potions. Elderly actor Ian Kubo-Hawthorn is convinced Mika is the real deal and asks her to interview for a job at Nowhere House. Nowhere House is the home of three young witches whom Ian wants Mika to teach to control their magical powers. Mika learns that the youngsters have been adopted by a witch who, much like Primrose is absent the majority of the year.

Taking the job breaks all the rules but Mika accepts the position. She arrives in her yellow hatchback named The Broomstick out of which she retrieves her potions, greenhouse, coy pond, and a golden retriever.

As Mika settles in at Nowhere House, she begins to think she might have found a place where she belongs after all but that is threatened when she discovers the real reason she was invited to Nowhere House and the secret all the adults have been hiding. With that knowledge comes danger and Mika must decide what she is willing to risk to protect Nowhere House and the inhabitants who have become like family.

Mika has a great personality and sense of humor and her sense of loneliness and lack of connection to others really comes through. The book’s other characters, the children, Ian, two long-suffering caretakers, and Jamie, the handsome and prickly librarian are all full of life as well and they all add to the story. Each has a distinct personality and readers are clued into their feelings as well as their unspoken thoughts.

Ultimately this is a story about recognizing what you need and then going after it. It's about finding people you love who love you back and making a home and a life with them even if it’s not the one you expected or how you were told it should be.

4.27 stars Goodreads, 4.5 on Amazon

Under Lock and Skeleton Key (Secret Staircase Mystery #1) by Gigi Pandian (2022)

 

A locked door mystery, a puzzle mystery, magic, family curse, misdirection, hidden staircases/rooms, and quirky characters – all can be found in Under Lock and Skeleton Key, the first book in a new mystery series by Gigi Pandian.

Tempest Raj is a once famous but now disgraced illusionist who has returned to her childhood home after losing everything. Her’s is not the average family; her mother, another magician, disappeared while performing on stage five year before, her father designs and constructs hidden rooms and staircases inside homes, and her grandparents live in a house built in a tree.

Tempest doesn’t believe in the family curse that the eldest Raj in each generation will die by magic but begins to wonder when her doppelgänger stage assistant is found murdered inside a 100-year old wall at her father’s latest construction site. Concerned that perhaps her life is in danger, Tempest sets out to find the murderer herself with the help of her best friend, Ivy. She is convinced the murder is simply a case of misdirection, a subject in which Tempest is an expert. All she needs is to find the one thread that will unravel everything.

The reader is introduced to a variety of characters that are something difficult to keep straight and all of whom will undoubtedly appear in future books. The writing is repetitive at times and much of the story revolves around the preparation and eating of foods from India and Scotland. Some reviewers felt the book was written with the young adult audience in mind and I would agree. However, if you enjoyed Nancy Drew mysteries growing up, you should enjoy Under Lock and Skeleton Key.

The second installment of this series, The Raven Thief, is due out in March 2023.

3.64 stars on 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.

Phantom Evil (Krewe of Hunters #1) by Heather Graham (2011)

 

Heather Graham’s Krewe of Hunters paranormal mystery series is an offshoot of her Harrison Investigations series. Thought the plot lines are much the same, the Harrison series takes place when Adam Harrison, a firm believer in the existence of ghosts, worked in the private sector. These investigators work alone. In Krewe of Hunters (self-named) the investigators work in teams for a special FBI unit run by Harrison. Harrison handpicks the people who work for him; searching the country for individuals he believes has a special skill useful in the investigation of the unexplainable.

Harrison recruits Jackson Crowe, a skeptical veteran of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, to lead a krewe comprised of Angela, a seasoned cop, a nurse, a magician, the cameraman for a paranormal cable series, and a musician. All have them have had experience with the paranormal whether they admit it or not.

The krewe is called to New Orleans to investigate a house once owned by a serial killer. The house is now owned by a popular senator who is convinced ghosts caused his wife to fall to her death from their bedroom balcony. The police have ruled the death a suicide but the Senator is certain ghosts were involved and wants the team to prove it. As in most mysteries, nothing is quite what it seems and the senator might not like what the team discovers.

The book focuses mainly on Jackson and Angela whose relationship develops a little too fast. Little attention is paid to the other krewe members.  They will have to wait until their story is told in subsequent titles.

Currently there are 35 books in the series, several novellas, and seven seasonal titles. Three more titles are scheduled for released in 2022.

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.

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore (2020

 

National Bestseller

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

If you’re looking for something different, try the quirky Oona Out of Order. It isn’t really a romance or a time travel, it’s the story of a girl and her life. But not just any girl. We first meet Oona Lockhart in 1982 at a New Year’s Eve party where, at the stroke of midnight she will turn 19. Oona’s life is perfect, she has a boyfriend she is crazy about, she plays in a band, and has a family and friends who love her, but everything is about to change.

At midnight Oona faints and wakes up in 2015 in her fifty-one-year-old body. She is greeted by a friendly stranger who seems to know her. Oona finds herself in a beautiful home she apparently owns, along with a healthy stock portfolio to support her. Oona will remain in 2015 until her next birthday when the same thing will happen again and every birthday after that. Will Oona move forward or backwards in time? Will she meet up with the people she has left behind? Oona never knows where she will land and needs to be prepared for anything.

3.88 stars on Goodreads, 4.2 on Amazon

A Murder in Time (Kendra Donovan #1) by Julie McElwain (2016)

 

I love a good mystery and time travel romances.  This, the first of a series of five (so far), combines both genres.  Kendra Donovan, a rogue FBI agent, goes to a party at Aldrich Castle in the 21^st century bent on murder.  She enters a stairwell and emerges during a party in the same castle in 1815.  Fortunately for Kendra the owner of the castle, the Duke of Aldrich, is very open minded and he accepts her as his American ward.  A murder takes place on the grounds of the castle and the Duke and Kendra, with the able assistance of Bow Street Runner Sam Kelly, set out to solve the crime.  Without the aid of 21^st century technology, how is Kendra going to accomplish that? 

There have been five titles in this series and the EPL library has all of them.

3.75 stars on Goodreads, 4.4 on Amazon