Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

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Publication date: 2003
Publisher: Soho Press
Pages: 292
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 15+
Series: Maisie Dobbs Mysteries

After studying with her mentor Maurice Blanche for years, Maisie is finally taking over his investigative business. It's 1929, but England is still recovering from the Great War which had taken so many of their boys. Maisie was in France as a nurse, and the things she saw and experienced are still with her. So when she's asked to investigate a farm for wounded soldiers called The Retreat, Maisie must face her past if she's going to be able to close the case.

This wasn't a book I chose from myself, but instead got as part of a book exchange I participated in. I was immediately drawn to the premise: mystery in 1920s/30s England with a female lead. It didn't disappoint.

Maisie is one of those female characters that I really like, because she's strong and yet still feminine. She doesn't have to sacrifice her womanhood in order to do what needs to be done. In fact, there are even times when being a woman helps her.

This first book did focus a lot on the past and Maisie's part in WWI, but I think it was necessary to set up the character and what life is like even 10 years after the War had ended. And the mystery focuses on those who have been affected by the War in such a way that it will never go away.

No language and no sex.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Last Stop in Brooklyn by Lawrence H. Levy

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Publication date: 2017
Publisher: Broadway Books
Pages: 305
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages: 18+
Series: Mary Handley Mystery

When Mary Handley gets her next case, it seems to be a simple open and shut case of extramarital affair. But the discovery of her best friend's husband involved in the affair, a man following her, and a line of Jack-the-Ripper-like murders turns the case into something much more.

This book was pleasant enough to read, without being predictable. Because this was the third book in a series, it was hard to get into at first since I hadn't read the other books, but throughout the book I was given enough information to understand how Mary became a detective and other things that I had to know. However, as good as the story and mystery were, there was more that kept me from fully enjoying the novel.

My biggest critique is that the story seemed anachronistic in parts. This was mostly in word choice, but it could have easily been set in the present day with very little changes. Every time something occurred that seemed wrong for the late 19th century, it pushed me out of the story. The chronology also was hard to keep track of. I felt like Labor Day happened at least three times, because I had felt that we had already passed that point in the story before changing characters and then learning it was still Labor Day weekend. The characters were hard to keep track of too--there were so many of them and sometimes we'd go several chapters between them appearing or being mentioned so I would forget who they were. And then in a middle of the scene, the point of view would change from Mary to one of the other characters. I felt that the POV was set up to be the third person limited for Mary, and it was for most of the book, but several times it became omniscient. It was jarring.

There was liberal use of the f-word and sexual situations, including prostitution.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

The Fifth Petal by Brunonia Barry

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Publication date: 2017
Publisher: Broadway Books
Pages: 464
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages: 16+

The death of a teenage boy in Salem on Halloween brings up memories of a 25 year old murder of three women that is still unsolved. The people of Salem are calling for the arrest of a homeless woman, while the chief of police has to decide whether or not to reopen the case. The only living witness to the murders was five at the time and is trying to discover what happened the night her mother and the others where killed.

I think that this book is part of a series of books about Salem, because there were some things that were referenced, but never explained. That isn't to say that it doesn't stand on its own, just that I was confused in some parts.

I felt that the beginning was really good and interesting, with the introduction of the murders 25 years before and how they connected to the modern day. But near the end I felt that the pacing was just too fast, gliding over other parts to get to the end of the discovery of the murderer.

There was at least one instance of the f-word and some sex.

*I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

There's Someone Inside Your House by Stephanie Perkins

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Publication date: 2017
Publisher: Dutton Books
Pages: 287
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 16+

When teenagers in small town Nebraska start being brutally murdered, Makani and the rest of the high school students are horrified, feeling that any of them could be next. What's the link between the victims and who in their town could do such terrible things?

 This is about as scary as I get for Halloween. More than the descriptions of the murders themselves, what I found more chilling was the games the murderer played with his victims before hand. Moving things in their house, opening doors, stealing things—someone hiding in your house and doing things. That's what scares me.

I liked the beginning, which made me believe the story was about someone else before turning that around. (I obviously hadn't read the summary before starting to read it.) The mystery was intriguing, though I feel like we were told too early who the murderer was. And I think I would have liked more of an explanation or understanding of why he did what he did to his victims.

The descriptions of the murders got more and more gruesome and graphic with each one, until it got to the point where I was thinking that I didn't need to know that much information.

There were some f-words and sex.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

This is Our Story by Ashley Elston

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages: 312
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages: 15+

The River Point Boys are all anyone will talk about, everyone wondering which was the one that shot the gun that killed their friend. Kate is an intern at the DA's office and the attorney she works for just got the case. Kate has her own reasons for finding justice for the boy who was killed and is determined to dig into the case to find out who shot the gun. But things aren't always as they seem, which Kate is about to discover.

I read this book in a day. It was interesting and gripping, with some twists and turns I wasn't expecting (of course, I never expect them). Each character had hidden depths, and interactions between characters were natural and interesting. There were times when Kate didn't do what she should have done, but I remember being a teenager and teenagers don't tend to think things through in the most logical way.

There was something that bothered me; Elston frequently used the phrasing "hands framing her face" (or something similar). It got to the point where I rolled my eyes every time it showed up. Not that the action it was describing was annoying, but that it was only described that way. I wish that she had thought of other ways to portray it (i.e. "he cupped my face in his hands"). It was used often enough (especially near the end of the book) that it became repetitive.

In all, though, it was a good read and a good mystery.

There was some hard language and some sexual talk.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

A Taste for Monsters by Matthew J. Kirby

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 343
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 13+

When Evelyn becomes the maid to Joseph Merrick, the "Elephant Man," she's just grateful to be off the streets and away from prying eyes. But then the ghosts of murdered women start to visit Joseph and Evelyn must leave the safety of the hospital in order to put them to rest.

This is another Jack the Ripper story, though what was new and interesting about this one is that it focused more on the victims than it did on the murderer. Because of the type of women that the victims were, very little thought was given to them and who they were, besides the most basic of information. Kirby gives them history and sadness and reason.

Kirby's theory on who Jack the Ripper was is interesting too, though I found myself wanting more answers than were given in the book.

Evelyn was a relatable protagonist, not because most of us have  physical scarring, but because we have all have emotional and mental scarring. She's also a good person, with some faults, but who sticks to her word and takes care of Joseph with kindness and friendship, despite his own disfigurements.

There is no language, though some sexual references especially concerning prostitution.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: JIMMY Patterson
Pages: 318
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages:14+

Audrey Rose is not the typical society woman. She's fascinated by her uncle's work in medicine and spends her spare time studying cadavers. But when women start being killed, Audrey Rose must use her skills to try to find the killer--and she's certain it's someone she knows.

I am strangely obsessed with Jack the Ripper. Almost 130 years ago, someone killed five prostitutes over the course of three months and no one knows who. Everyone has their theories, but we'll never know who did it. Stalking takes that mystery and introduces some theories of its own, in the guise of a gripping forensic thriller.

Audrey Rose is the perfect kind of heroine. She doesn't see why she can't be beautiful and smart; why a woman can't have love and a career. She has strengths and weaknesses, which is what creates an interesting character, male or female.

Maniscalco presents the evidence in such a way that keeps you going along with Audrey Rose, instead of being two steps ahead of her, which I personally find annoying and makes the main character seem stupid. A great debut novel, both for the author and the publisher.

There was no language and no sex.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

How to Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Pages: 348
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 14+

Witches, a curse, a spirit, and a secret. Samantha Mather is a descendant of Cotton Mather--one of the men who convicted witches during the trials in Salem. When she and her stepmother move to Salem, Sam is met with suspicion and outright harassment. This mostly comes from The Descendants--those teens who are directly descended from the people tried as witches. Then people start dying. With the help of a spirit, Sam must break a curse that she doesn't truly believe in.

I love how Mather 1) uses her own family history to create a story without it seeming like she was making Sam an avatar of herself, 2) used a well-known historical event and put it so seamlessly into a new and interesting story.

The characters were engaging and mysterious. Mather gives the reader just enough information to keep them interested without getting frustrated. I, as I do when reading mystery, tried to make out who was behind it all. I did think of the solution, but kept passing it off as ridiculous.

This is another book that I would recommend to a lot of people--especially when looking at it through the lens of Mather's author note at the end.

Little to no language and no sex.

*I receive no compensation from Amazon.
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The Gilded Cage by Lucinda Gray

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Pages: 245
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages: 14+

Katherine's and her brother, George's, lives changed the day an attorney came to their small farm in Virginia. Just a few months later they are in England, the only heirs of a large estate and a title. But just as they are getting settled, George dies. Everyone says it's an accident, but Katherine is certain he was killed. That, with the rumor of a beast on the estate and a strange poacher, Katherine is starting to think there is something very wrong about what she has inherited.

A period piece mystery . . . I think that was exactly what I needed when I started this book. Katherine is young, but confident in herself--even when put into a completely foreign situation. She wasn't going to let anyone change her mind, not when what they are saying doesn't add up.

I did have a little bit of a beef with the romance story. Katherine seemed to too quickly change her affections from one man to another. It was pretty obvious (to me) who she was going to end up with, but in less than 250 pages, there are no less than three men mentioned/she has a moment with. I think that the story could have still had the same elements without one of those moments, instead focusing on her developing feelings and confusion toward the main counterpart.

Very mild language and no sex.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Telling by Alexandra Sirowy

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 387
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 17+

Lana's life is split between before and after. After is her trying to become brave after seeing her stepbrother's murder. But things start getting scary once other kids start dying--kids that had done Lana wrong in some way. Could it be some random killer? The homeless man? Or has Ben's ghost returned to enact vengeance?

This is one of those books that I was kind of "meh" about during most of it. My brain did keep coming up with different theories on who the murderer was, and there was one that I really liked--and would have preferred for it to have been that theory when it came to the end.

The book seemed long. I kept thinking that I was getting to the end of it, then I'd look to see how many pages were left and there were still a lot. That doesn't necessarily mean that the entire book was difficult to read or get into. There were a lot of moments in the book that kept me reading, but they were broken up by a lot of internal and psychological stuff with Lana. Some of those stopped the narrative a little too much for me. The characters were interested and complex, though it didn't seem so at the beginning.

It brought up a lot of questions and confusion about what is right and wrong to do and feel and act on.

There was some hard language and sexual contexts.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 421
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages: 16+

Eleven years ago, six kids disappeared on their first day of kindergarten. Five of them are back without any memory of where they've been or their lives for the past eleven years. As everyone is trying to discover the mystery of the five and what happened to the still missing boy, the teens are conducting their own investigation.

The concept of this book seemed so intriguing, but the execution didn't live up to it.

First, there were some strange typographical choices. While making it hard to read, there were a few that made sense, but most of them didn't seem to add anything to the narrative or just confused the narrative.

Second, there is an event at the beginning of the book that seemed unnecessary and happened so quickly and then glossed over that I was actually in doubt whether it had actually happened. Throughout the last fourth of the book I kept expecting a twist related to it to happen.

Third, the revelation of what happened seemed a little lost in technicalities. Why did what happen continue to happen time and again?

Basically, what started as an interesting mystery and novel turned into something a little mediocre by the end.

Only a little language and mild sexual innuendos.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

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Publication date: 2016
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Pages: 321
My rating: 2.5 stars
Ages:16+

James "Jamie" Watson is a descendant of Dr. Watson--as in Holmes and Watson. Jamie thinks of Charlotte Holmes as his best friend before he ever meets her. When they both end up at the same school, Watson thinks they are going to go on all sorts of adventures. Unfortunately, he didn't think that was going to involve a murder where he is the number one suspect.

The characters were interesting and I really liked how it is set it in a world where the original Holmes and Watson were real people. Sometimes Jamie was a little annoying with his mooning and general teen angst. Charlotte was exactly what you would expect from a Holmes, which anyone knows can in itself be exasperating.

The mystery itself was a little complicated and hard to follow, in my opinion. And I found myself confused over either Jamie or Charlotte's actions/reactions. I found myself having to go back and read the previous page several times to understand what was going on. I feel that the story, even a mystery, should be easy to follow and understand. Also, some events at the end seemed a little contrived, like Cavallaro was trying to fulfill some kind of requirement for teen novels. I would have liked it better without it.

There was a lot of language and sexual dialogue, including talk about a rape.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Pages: 318
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 14+

Spending the summer in Upper Crust Massachusetts isn't really Cassandra's idea of a good time--and she's determined to show it. Everything changes when she meets a mysterious boy on the private beach of her family's rented home. Lawrence is caught between what his father wants, what his uncle suggests, and what he wants to do. Lawrence and Cassandra are exactly what the other needs. But with 100 years between them, how can they ever become anything more?

Who doesn't like a good time travel story? This isn't quite your typical one, as Cass and Lawrence can only meet in a certain place, but that makes it even more interesting. In a way, this is similar to the movie Somewhere in Time, but without the stupid ending. (Personal opinion.) With a mix of mystery and romance, this story would probably appeal to a wide audience.

The POV switches between Cass and Lawrence, but not in a way that is annoying or contrived. The ending is bittersweet. The prologue I still don't understand, but to tell you the truth, I forgot about it until just this moment. The repercussions of meddling with history is addressed, though not in any horrible way, at least not for the reader. We are to assume that it affects Cass a lot. The characters were interesting and it was nice to have a main character with a relatively good relationship with her family (but she is a teenager, so there is some friction).

Very light language and some innuendo.

*I receive no compensation from Amazon.

Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Kathy DawsonBooks
Pages: 334
My rating: 4 stars
Ages:15+

Zoe has just arrived in River Heights when Digby shows up asking for pictures. Little did she know that just a few months later she would end up outside a house about to blow up trying to figure out how to get back inside. That's how things work when you get mixed up in Digby's world. But as hard as she tries, Zoe just can't seem to get out.

I was about halfway through this book when I realized it was basically a modern day Sherlock, with Zoe as Digby's faithful companion and biographer and Digby the assertive and observant detective. It's not a perfect parallel, but I definitely think that anyone who likes Sherlock Holmes will like this book.

Digby is outrageous, making his character completely unpredictable, which is so much fun. And through her interactions with Digby, we see Zoe become a more confident individual. Each character was fun and original.

I look forward to a sequel.

No language; some discussions about sexual matters.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

All Fall Down by Ally Carter

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 310
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 14+

Three years ago Grace witnessed her mother's death—which everyone says was an accident, but she was sure was murder. After three years of therapy and meds, Grace has been sent to live with her grandfather, the US Ambassador in Adria. Everyone is expecting this change to be good for Grace, but when she sees the man she is sure murdered her mother, things start falling apart. Can Grace convince her friends and grandfather that this time she's right, before the Scarred Man kills again?

Carter uses the same fast paced intriguing writing that made me love the Heist Society books, adding in political intrigue and more interesting characters. This is what kept me reading and why I finished the book in less than 24 hours.

It's interesting to see what life might be like for the children and families of those who work in various embassies. Would they be friends? What would happen if they bumped into one of the ambassadors of another country? And then there's the twist at the end . . . I definitely recommend this book.

No sex and little to no swearing.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Beastly Bones by William Ritter

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Algonquin
Pages: 295
My rating: 4 stars
Ages: 13+
Series: Jackaby

Abigail Rook has now come to terms with the strange and paranormal--which is good since that's what Jackaby specializes in. Their newest case seems fairly open and shut until their client mysteriously ends up dead. The case sends them off to visit their old friend Charlie, but Abigail is much more interested in the discovery of some dinosaur bones than in the deaths that brought them there. However, the bones aren't simply dinosaur bones. And people continue dying.

Following the first Jackaby novel, Beastly Bones doesn't disappoint. Jackaby is still Holmesian, with the twist of "sight" and a knowledge in all things supernatural. With the house/office haunted by a ghost and shared with a man turned duck, Abigail is surprisingly calm and logical when it comes to their cases. There are new characters to meet and old ones to become reacquainted with.

Using true history mixed with fantasy to create a believable narrative, I'm sure that the Jackaby books will attract a wide range of readers—young and old.

While this, like the first, ends with the story complete, it does introduce a new storyline at the end.

There is no language or sexual situations.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Last Good Day of the Year by Jessica Warman

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 276
My rating: 2 stars
Ages:16+

Early New Year's Day when Sam was 7, her little sister Turtle was kidnapped right in front of her. Ten years later, back in the house where it happened, Sam and her family are still trying to come to terms with what happened--especially since Turtle was never found.

I have to admit that I was really surprised when I looked at the publisher when I started writing this review. I have never read a book published by Bloomsbury that I didn't like. I have never read a book by Bloomsbury that had noticeable typos. But for me, this book was both. Though I suppose you can't expect home runs all the time.

There were a couple of times when the narrator--Sam--would say something to the effect "Just think about it" about something she has just mentioned and I would be sitting there completely in the dark, trying to figure it out. Eventually she would clue me in, a hundred pages later. While the approach was interesting, jumping between times and including snippets of a "book", sometimes things seemed disjointed, random, and hard to follow. The ending seemed a little abrupt, with choices that I suppose I could see someone in that situation make, but that seemed to go against Sam's core beliefs.

In short, what seemed like a good mystery slowly became a pile of misdirection and poorly laid clues.

There was a lot of hard language, drinking, drug use, and sexual references.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon. 

Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Switch Press
Pages: 303
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages:13+

Army brat Lois Lane and her family have finally settled down in Metropolis. Lois is determined to make friends and not make any trouble, but her plan changes her first day at her new school when she has a run in with the Warheads--a scary gamer group that acts as one. With her new job as a teen journalist, Lois is determined to discover the truth behind the Warheads. She enlists the help of her only friend, a person she only knows as SmallvilleGuy.

I thought this book was so fun. The Lois in this book is so different from the Lois Lane that I grew up with. She's intelligent, troublesome, determined, and kind; instead of just the "damsel in distress" type that are found in many comic books. The references to Superman and other DC comics is fun to pick up on.

I think this is a great book for anyone who likes comic books, mysteries, or comic book based TV/movies. Lois is spunky and reminds me a bit of Veronica Mars.

No swearing or sexual situations.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

The Third Twin by CJ Omololu

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 326
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 15+

Ever since they were small, twins Ava and Lexi have used Alicia (their imaginary "third twin") as a scapegoat. Now 18, Ava and Lexi use the Alicia alias to date guys they wouldn't normally date. But then one of those guys ends up murdered and Lexi starts seeing a girl who looks just like her and Ava. Then the police start asking about Alicia. Is someone setting Lexi and Ava up or are one of them to blame?

I think the cover of this book makes it look creepier than it is, though the mystery can be a little spooky. It was one of those mysteries that I thought I had figured out several times throughout the course of the book. In the end, one of my guesses was right, but I had gone from one to another so many times that it was still surprising.

This book is good for anyone who likes murder mysteries. There is some some language (including about 6 instances of the f-word).

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.

Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani

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Publication date: 2015
Publisher: Tu Books
Pages: 380
My rating: 3.5 stars
Ages: 14+

Claire has a trouble free life: parents who love her, two brothers, a life-long best friend, and a place on the soccer team. But everything changes when she finds a letter from her biological father to her stepdad. The letter hints at a much darker secret, and then someone starts targeting Claire using Japanese superstitions. Has her father's past come back to haunt her? And what connection did her fathers have to each other?

In her debut novel, Maetani uses her own childhood and history to create a mystery different from many others marketed to teens. She entwines Japanese traditions, culture, and superstitions with modern American teens.

Not knowing very much about Japanese/Japanese-American culture, I found the book pretty fascinating. Understand about the Japanese mafia and Japanese superstitions (like not passing food from your chopsticks to someone else's) was easy and never took away from the real story, which was the mystery of Claire's father's past and what it has to do with what is happening to her in the present. I also enjoyed that it was set in my home state, making certain things relatable and easy to envision. The mystery, I don't think, was simple to figure out-in fact, I had this dread that it was going to be one of the characters I liked.

Little to no language and no sexual situations.

*I do not receive compensation from Amazon.