Fatal Roots by Sheila Connolly

January 07, 2020

Sheila Connolly’s County Cork mysteries always take me to Ireland, a country I love. And, I thought her book, An Early Wake, brought the music and area to life. That’s probably why I was so disappointed with the latest book in the series, Fatal Roots....

Bound for Murder by Victoria Gilbert

January 06, 2020

Like Jenn McKinlay’s latest Library Lover’s Mystery, Word to the Wise, Victoria Gilbert’s Bound for Murder features a small-town library director in a darker situation than usually expected in a cozy mystery series. Illicit drugs, and a commune...

Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey

January 05, 2020

I’m not a fan of unreliable narrator novels. I am a big fan of coming-of-age stories. Those stories often are heart-breakers, as is Jess Lourey’s Unspeakable Things. But, I like the voices. Young people see the world, and their situations, with...

Trouble in Mind by Michael Wiley

January 04, 2020

It’s been a few years since Michael Wiley set a mystery in Chicago. Now, he introduces an unusual character, an ex-cop turned PI, and puts him in Chicago in Trouble in Mind. Sam Kelson’s latest case is violent and gets him in all kinds of trouble with...

Mysteries in the Media Giveaway

January 03, 2020

As promised, it’s time for the first giveaway of 2020. The books from both series have appeared in the media. The first title is in honor of M.C. Beaton, who died December 30. Beating About the Bush is the most recent Agatha Raisin mystery, in hardcover....

What Are You Reading? and Jeff Meyerson’s Favorites of 2019

January 02, 2020

I thought it was appropriate to kick off this week’s What Are You Reading with a look back from Jeff Meyerson. Jeff is a faithful reader of Lesa’s Book Critiques, and I appreciate his contributions, his comments, and the conversations he shares with other...