Lesa's Book Critiques
Sharing Books and Authors, with an Emphasis on MysteriesRecent Posts
Murder in an Irish Garden by Carlene O’Connor
I never saw the final twist coming in Carlene O'Connor's Murder in an Irish Garden. Although the villain always seemed one step ahead of the Gardai in Kilbane, County Cork, Ireland, the final reveal came as a surprise to me. Perfectly logical, but it came as a...
Johnny Careless by Kevin Wade
Johnny Careless may be Kevin Wade's debut novel, but he was a screenwriter and showrunner for "Blue Bloods" for years, so he has experience with police procedurals. Jeep Mullane is Police Chief in Bayville, near Long Island, but he answers to four mayors, some of...
Mark Baker’s Favorites of 2024
Thanks to Mark Baker for sending his list of Favorite Books read in 2024. We don't talk about it during the year, but I always like to point out Mark's own blog when we do this annual feature. If you're a fan of cozy mysteries, you might want to check out Carstairs...
What Are You Reading?
I worry about all of you. I watched the weather, and saw the mudslides in California, and I know Mark mentioned the possibilities of them last week. I hope you're okay, Mark! And, of course, it's bitterly cold here in the Midwest, although we didn't get as much...
The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu
What a sad, interesting book. The Blanket Cats by Kiyoshi Shigematsu is translated into English by Jesse Kirkwood, who also translated The Full Moon Coffee Shop, among other books. While the blanket cats themselves are the only link between seven stories, each of...
The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea by C.L. Miller
My only complaint about C.L. Miller's The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea was the large number of characters. You might want to keep score as you're reading it. Other than that, it's a fast-paced mystery set in the world of black market antiques. It's obvious...
