The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick

Title: The Woman in the Lake

Author: Nicola Cornick

Publisher: Graydon House 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 310

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Keyword - July; Cloak and Dagger

London, 1765

Lady Isabella Gerard, a respectable member of Georgian society, orders her maid to take her new golden gown and destroy it, its shimmering beauty tainted by the actions of her brutal husband the night before.

Three months later, Lord Gerard stands at the shoreline of the lake, looking down at a woman wearing the golden gown. As the body slowly rolls over to reveal her face, it’s clear this was not his intended victim…

250 Years Later…

When a gown she stole from a historic home as a child is mysteriously returned to Fenella Brightwell, it begins to possess her in exactly the same way that it did as a girl. Soon the fragile new life Fen has created for herself away from her abusive ex-husband is threatened at its foundations by the gown’s power over her until she can't tell what is real and what is imaginary.

As Fen uncovers more about the gown and Isabella’s story, she begins to see the parallels with her own life. When each piece of history is revealed, the gown—and its past—seems to possess her more and more, culminating in a dramatic revelation set to destroy her sanity.

Random pick from the library. I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting, but was pleasantly surprised by this dual time line story with a twist crossover. I can’t say that I loved any of the characters, but I was intrigued by their stories. I enjoyed watching the three women navigate the trials and tribulations of life. While I wasn’t a huge fame of Hamish’s role in the story, he grew on me over the pages. And I didn’t quite see the twists come, but they were entertaining. I could have done without the very last reveal.

Next up on the TBR pile:

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The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth

Title: The Mother-in-Law

Author: Sally Hepworth

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2019

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 340

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Cloak and Dagger

From the moment Lucy met her husband’s mother, she knew she wasn’t the wife Diana had envisioned for her perfect son. Exquisitely polite, friendly, and always generous, Diana nonetheless kept Lucy at arm’s length despite her desperate attempts to win her over. And as a pillar in the community, an advocate for female refugees, and a woman happily married for decades, no one had a bad word to say about Diana…except Lucy.

That was five years ago.

Now, Diana is dead, a suicide note found near her body claiming that she longer wanted to live because of the cancer wreaking havoc inside her body.

But the autopsy finds no cancer.

It does find traces of poison, and evidence of suffocation.

Who could possibly want Diana dead? Why was her will changed at the eleventh hour to disinherit both of her children, and their spouses? And what does it mean that Lucy isn’t exactly sad she’s gone?

Another pick from Anne Bogel’s Summer Reading Guide. I was expecting a very pedestrian thriller type of mystery, but this one really had depth. About 50 pages into this novel, I was fully invested in uncovering the secrets of the Goodwin family. I could not stand Diana and loved Lucy at the beginning of the book. By the end, things switched a bit and I began to really see Diana as the strong woman she was. I really enjoyed the back and forth in point of view and time periods. It added so much layer to the storyline and characters. I really enjoyed this one so much. Great pick from the Summer Reading Guide.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Twelve Clues of Christmas by Rhys Bowen

Title: The Twelve Clues of Christmas (Royal Spyness #6)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2012

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Cloak and Dagger

Scotland, 1933. While her true love, Darcy O’Mara, is spending his feliz navidad tramping around South America and her mother is holed up in a tiny village called Tiddleton-under-Lovey with droll playwright Noel Coward, Georgie is quite literally stuck at Castle Rannoch thanks to a snowstorm.

It seems like a Christmas miracle when she manages to land a position as hostess to a posh holiday party in Tiddleton. The village should be like something out of A Christmas Carol, but as soon as she arrives things take a deadly turn when a neighborhood nuisance falls out of a tree. On her second day, another so-called accident results in a death—and there’s yet another on her third, making Georgie wonder if there's something wicked happening in this winter wonderland...

Another fun cozy mystery featuring Georgie and her wayward relatives. I loved the move to a new village full of Christmas cheer and murder. I thought the murder plot was pretty laid out early on, but it took Georgie forever to figure it out. But that’s okay, she’s an amateur detective. The part that I wasn’t keen on was Darcy’s insistence that Georgie was wrong. I really loved racy until this volume. He just irked me. And then his revelation to Georgie seems to come out of the blue. I just want more…

Her Royal Spyness:

#0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
#1 Her Royal Spyness
#2 A Royal Pain
#3 Royal Flush
#4 Royal Blood
#5 Naughty in Nice
#6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
#7 Heirs and Graces
#8 Queen of Hearts
#9 Malice at the Palace
#10 Crowned and Dangerous
#11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service
#12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tulle Death Do Us Part by Annette Blair

Title: Tulle Death Do Us Part (Vintage Magic Mystery #6)

Author: Annette Blair

Publisher: Berkley 2013

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 272

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Monthly Motif - Mystery; Cloak and Dagger

Maddie’s love of classic fashion has made her Vintage Magic boutique a success—even if the visions she experiences when touching certain items often lead her into trouble. Decades ago, at a Mystic Country Club costume ball, a secret scavenger hunt ended in an unexplained death, hastily concealed.

Now, Maddie's invited to participate in a similar anniversary event: but one touch of the vintage petticoat used to hide evidence of the original crime hurtles Maddie into a scavenger hunt of her own. She must find missing petticoat pieces and re-stitch the clues it reveals...to expose a killer!

The last in Madeira Cutler’s story of sleuthing and fumbling at romance. Thankfully the series ended the way that I hoped it would. I was very concerned at the end of the last book, and thought about not finishing the series. But I persevered and am glad to see that this volume pulled out a good romance and a good mystery. I loved the Fiftieth Jubilee scavenger hunt. I only wish that the series had a bit more of a definite ending.

Vintage Magic Mystery:

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

Title: The Hollow of Fear (Lady Sherlock #3)

Author: Sherry Thomas

Publisher: Berkley 2018

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 335

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; Popsugar- Amateur Detective; Cloak and Dagger

Under the cover of "Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective," Charlotte Holmes puts her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. Aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, Charlotte draws those in need to her and makes it her business to know what other people don't.

Moriarty's shadow looms large. First, Charlotte's half brother disappears. Then, Lady Ingram, the estranged wife of Charlotte's close friend Lord Ingram, turns up dead on his estate. And all signs point to Lord Ingram as the murderer.

With Scotland Yard closing in, Charlotte goes under disguise to seek out the truth. But uncovering the truth could mean getting too close to Lord Ingram--and a number of malevolent forces...

This volume was such a thrill ride! The prologue sucked me in with the reveal of who Charlotte met in the carriage. And then Lady Ingram’s misfortune was revealed and the story picked up speed. I loved more story from Livia and Lord Ingram’s points of view. A nice change of pace from just Charlotte. And we get more insight into the inner works of the agents of the Crown and those of Moriarty’s crew. The resolution to the mystery was very satisfying, but I must say I was disappointed in Lord Ingram and Charlotte. The tension between those two could set fires roaring without any kindling.

Lady Sherlock

Next up on the TBR pile:

Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon

Title: Guidebook to Murder (Tourist Trap Mystery #1)

Author: Lynn Cahoon

Publisher: Kensington 2014

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 208

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: I Love Libraries; Monthly Motif - New to Me Author; Cloak and Dagger

In the gentle coastal town of South Cove, California, all Jill Gardner wants is to keep her store--Coffee, Books, and More--open and running. So why is she caught up in the business of murder?

When Jill's elderly friend, Miss Emily, calls in a fit of pique, she already knows the city council is trying to force Emily to sell her dilapidated old house. But Emily's gumption goes for naught when she dies unexpectedly and leaves the house to Jill--along with all of her problems. . .and her enemies. Convinced her friend was murdered, Jill is finding the list of suspects longer than the list of repairs needed on the house. But Jill is determined to uncover the culprit--especially if it gets her closer to South Cove's finest, Detective Greg King. Problem is, the killer knows she's on the case--and is determined to close the book on Jill permanently. . .

I picked this volume up on a whim at the library and I’m so glad I did. This is a very cute cozy mystery full of red herrings, twists, secrets, and ultimately a good conclusion. Jill is a great main character and amateur detective. And South Cove is a great little setting for murder. I can just see the main street full of old cottages serving as business locales. And all the great random side characters. I’ll definitely keep reading this series.

Tourist Trap Mystery:

#1 Guidebook to Murder
#2 Mission to Murder
#3 If the Shoe Kills
#3.25 Rockets’ Dead Glare
#4 Dressed to Kill
#5 Killer Run
#6 Murder on Wheels
#7 Tea Cups and Carnage
#8 Hospitality and Homicide
#9 Killer Party
#9.5 A Deadly Brew
#9.75 Santa Puppy
#10 Corned Beef and Casulties
#10.5 Mother’s Day Mayhem

Next up on the TBR pile:

RC 2019: Cloak and Dagger

From Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!:

I can’t believe it’s time for another sign up! I hope everyone who participated this year read a lot of great mystery, suspense, and thrillers. I know I did and I found a lot of new series!

I don’t know about you but I have plans to real lots of mysteries, especially cozies because I made a list of all the series I have going in the cozy mystery genre and OMG! I need to widdle that list down and catch up on some series! It may just be the YEAR OF THE COZY! Can’t wait to see what sort of mystery/thriller plans you have for 2019!

We still have our facebook group so if you haven’t joined we would love for you too! Here is the groups link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/350512171977943/ It’s a closed group so just ask to join and we shall let you in.

Challenge Rules:

You can read any book that is from the mystery/suspense/thriller/crime genres. Any sub-genres are welcome as long as they incorporate one of these genres.
You don’t need a blog to participate but you do need a place to post your reviews to link up. (blog, goodreads, booklikes, shelfari, etc.)
Make a goal post and link it back here with your goal for this challenge.
Books need to be novellas or novels, please no short stories. (At least 100 pages +)
Crossovers into other challenges are fine.
The Challenge will be from Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st. (Sign up ends March 15th)

This year we are doing the link up a little different. Both Barb and I keep forgetting to do the link ups each month so I thought it would be easier on us if we did Quarterly link ups, so there will be four review link-ups. (Jan-March, April-June, July-Sept and Oct-Dec)

There will be a monthly link up so that others can check out your progress and look at your reviews. At the halfway mark and at the end we will have a giveaway for those participating.

If you tweet about your progress or reviews please use the hashtag #CloakDaggerChal so others can see it.

Levels:

5-15 books – Amateur sleuth

16-25 books – Detective

26-35 books – Inspector

36 – 55 – Special agent

56+ books – Sherlock Holmes

I’m going to sign up for the Detective Level and set a goal of 25 mysteries for myself this year!