The Secret of Bow Lane (A Below Stairs Mystery, #6) by Jennifer Ashley – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, historical, Jennifer Ashley, mystery, romance, series, Victorian England

Review

This is the book Kat Holloway fans have been waiting for.  I’ll tell you why, but first….

In The Secret of Bow Lane, the mystery is about Joe Bristow, the man Kat thought she was once married to until she found out he was already married to someone else.  The death of her ‘husband’ left Kat in poverty, but it is also what led her to become the best cook in all of London.  While he died many years ago, his actual wife contends that he left a fortune somewhere and she needs help finding it. Bow Lane is Kat’s old neighborhood and there is more than one intriguing secret to uncover there.

Joe’s ability to pretend he was something he was not, reminds her a little too much of her friend Daniel McAdam, who is a master of the many disguises he uses in his investigative work.  So, when Daniel tells Kat how he feels about her, she pulls back.  There is nothing to be done, except find out more about the real Daniel.

In her life, there are two men that Kat has gotten close to.  Joe and Daniel.  Throughout the story, the details of both of their lives are slowly brought to light, revealing all the sordid details of one and the worthy details of the other.  So, you see, Kat Holloway fans, this book is for you.

The mystery the Kat must solve in this tale is just as fascinating and twisty as it always is.  Also, all of Kat’s helpers are there to make sure they uncover every necessary clue while still allowing Kat to see to her cooking duties and her daughter.  And Daniel is ever present to give his support, friendship, and a kiss now and then.  I recommend you enjoy this historical mystery with a nice cup of hot tea and a biscuit.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

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About The Secret of Bow Lane by Jennifer Ashley

A stranger who appears on Kat’s doorstep turns out to be one Charlotte Bristow, legal wife of Joe Bristow, the man Kat once believed herself married to—who she thought died at sea twelve years ago. Kat is jolted by Charlotte’s claims that not only was Joe murdered, but he had amassed a small fortune before he died. Charlotte makes the cook an offer she cannot refuse—if Kat can discover the identity of Joe’s murderer, Charlotte will give her a share of the fortune Joe left behind.

With the help of Daniel McAdam, her attractive and charismatic confidante, Kat plunges into her own past to investigate. When it becomes apparent that the case of Joe’s death goes far deeper than simple, opportunistic theft, Kat and Daniel’s relationship is put to the test, and Kat herself comes under scrutiny as her connection to Joe is uncovered. She must race to catch the real killer before she loses her job and possibly her life.

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Wolf in the Shadows (The Legend of All Wolves, #5) by Maria Vale – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, favorite series, Maria Vale, paranormal romance, romance, series, shifters, wolves

Review of Wolf in the Shadows

Let me start by saying that The Legend of All Wolves is my favorite series about shifters.  Maria Vale’s unique take on wolves has enchanted me from the beginning.  The wolves of the Great North Pack are a family that only wants to live life on their own terms.  But the outside world keeps trying to interfere. 

Among the worst meddlers are the shifters.  These are beings that can shift at will, or even not shift at all.  This sets them apart from the wolves of the Pack who are influenced by the moon. 

Wolf in the Shadows storyline overlaps with Season of the Wolf with new viewpoints introduced.  In these stories, shifters have invaded the Pack’s land for nefarious reasons.  The Pack has prevailed so far, but more than one shifter has been captured by the Pack.  Julie is one such shifter and, in this story, she struggles to survive in this new environment.  She is assigned to Arthur, who’s own past is complex and poignant.  As they spend time together, they evolve into strong indivudals doing their best to overcome their pasts.

I am fascinated by the Pack’s dichotomy of sharp intelligence and unworldliness.  Nature governs their existence and they have adapted to make the most of life in their territory.  The outside world constantly challenges.  The Pack does not understand what motivates people in the outside world.  Even worse, the outside world will never understand the Pack.

Each book in this series makes the story deeper, richer, better.  These stories of wolves who take human form are unique within the paranormal genre and I recommend them to anyone that enjoys wolf/shifter fiction.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

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About Wolf in the Shadows by Maria Vale

Shifter Julia Martel has been spoiled and pampered by all the alpha males around her whose urge to protect her have left her uninformed and vulnerable. Now the Great North Pack has relegated Julia to the care of the wolf at the very bottom of the Pack hierarchy, Arthur Graysson. Julia wants nothing to do with the Pack, except to escape back to her life of luxury and idleness, but the more time she spends with Arthur, the more she learns about the Pack, the dark secrets Arthur carries with him, and the fierceness within herself that could save them all…

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The Wedding Plot (Mercy Carr, #4) by Paula Munier – Review

Tags

5 stars, Book Review, contemporary, dogs, mystery, Paula Munier, romance, series

Review of The Wedding Plot

The Mercy Carr series is one of my favorites in contemporary mystery.  It features former Army MP Mercy Carr and her retired bomb-sniffing dog Elvis. They have retreated to beautiful Vermont’s Green Mountains to heal their invisible wounds after the death of Martinez, Elvis’s handler and Mercy’s fiancé.  When U.S. Game Warden Troy Warner and his canine search-and-rescue partner Susie Bear meet Mercy and Elvis, the four form a partnership as they solve mysteries in Vermont while quoting Shakespeare.

The Wedding Plot is book four in the series.  You can read it as a standalone.  But I was glad to know the background of these characters going into this mystery.  Why?  Because there are soooo many characters.  Blame it on the wedding, I guess.  Remembering who is who proved to be a challenge.  That is my only complaint though.

The complex plot is packed with twists and turns which leads to much guessing about who the bad guys or gals are.  Favorite characters from the series each played substantial roles, not content with being relegated to the background.   And the dogs are always in the thick of things, uncovering bodies, evidence, and untrustworthy individuals while they zero in on all the dog lovers at the wedding.  I admit, the dogs are why I read this series.  Trust a good dog to sniff out villainy while helping us find the best in people.

The wedding background inspired the author to start each chapter with a quote about love. It also had Mercy’s family hinting that she and Troy might be ready to get married themselves.  I have enjoyed watching Mercy and Troy get to know each other while they navigated their own personal demons.  Maybe, the time is just right for them?!

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book.  My review is my honest opinion.

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About The Wedding Plot by Paula Munier

Love never dies a natural death…

When Mercy’s grandmother Patience marries her longtime beau Claude Renault at the five-star Lady’s Slipper Inn, it promises to be the destination wedding of the year. Just as the four-day extravaganza is due to begin, the inn’s spa director Bodhi St. George disappears—and Mercy’s mother Grace sends Mercy and Elvis to find him. But what they discover instead is a stranger skewered by a pitchfork in the barn on the goat farm where St. George lived.

As Mercy tries to figure out who the victim is and where St. George is hiding, the bride and groom’s estranged relations gather for the first of the pre-wedding festivities. Long-buried rivalries and resentments surface—and Mercy realizes that they’re all keeping secrets that could tear both families apart. When Elvis interrupts the escalating melodrama to alert Mercy to an intruder on the estate, she finds a wounded St. George in the cottage where she and Troy are staying. St. George is not who he says he is—but when he escapes from the hospital and disappears again, Mercy thinks he’s gone for good. With the wedding imminent and the families at each other’s throats, she decides finding St. George will have to wait.

The big day arrives—but the danger is far from over. With the families and the festivities still under threat, it’s up to Mercy and Elvis together with Troy and Susie Bear to stop the killer and save the bride and groom—before death do they part.

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