The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood

 

I love this series -- and this title was so much fun. I realize that older detectives are having a bit of a moment right now. That's fine.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo

 

 

So on a sentence level, this book is excellent. On a plot level, it sagged in the middle but redeemed itself at the end.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Axiom's End by Lindsay Ellis

 

 I really enjoyed this.

Baby X by Kira Peikoff

 

 Really well done.

Mrs. England by Stacey Halls

 

 Solid, and I loved the narrator.

It's a Privilege Just to Be Here by Emma Sasaki

 

A great story, and so well done in explicating the nuances of some difficult issues. 

Review copy provided by publisher.

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall

 

A very good read. . . Excellent back story on the nuances of feminist issues, combined with a compelling plot 

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Unwedding by Ally Condie

 

A solid read, but then the ending . . . mystery writers really need to step away from the 'multiple coincidences' ending. 

Review copy provided by publisher.

Game of Lies by Clare Mackintosh

 

 Decent.

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

 

Excellent.

You Are Here by David Nicholls

 

 So fun.

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

 

Very well done -- this was a delightful read.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Night Music by Jojo Moyes

 

 weird 

Excavations by Kate Myers

 

 Fun and funny 

Hidden by Laura Griffin

 

 meh

Schooled by Ted Fox

 

Beginning was stronger than the end, but it was still fun.

The Child by Fiona Barton

 

meh

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

 

 I mostly loved this, but (as, I think, with most time travel novels) it got a bit knotted up at the end.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik

 

 Probably only worth reading if you are in Paris, and I was, so it was interesting.

Greenwood by Michael Christie

 

 I loved this so, so much.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

 

 Decent.

Very Bad Company by Emma Rosenblum

 Great potential, but ultimately just felt like a pastiche of stereotypes about the tech industry.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Last House by Jessica Shattuck

 

 I don't read (actually read, as opposed to listen to) many books, but this was a rare exception. This was so, so good. It's hard for me to articulate why, except that the character development was excellent, the engagement with social issues worked, and the plot made sense.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth

 

For some reason, I always suspect that Hepworth books are going to be relatively lame, and then they always end up impressing me with clever plots.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Invisible Woman by Katia Lief

 

 

Novels are allowed a max total of one extraordinary circumstance and/or coincidence. This otherwise promising book well exceeded that limit.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Upcountry by Chin-Sun Lee

 

 A decent book that tried to tackle a lot of interesting issues but just didn't sparkle.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Cold to the Touch by Kerri Hakoda

 

  On the one hand, this is a solid mystery. On the other hand, it doesn't really distinguish itself from all of the other solid mysteries.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Big Time by Ben Winters

 

 This was fun.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

 

 Pretty cheesy.

Lucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran

 

 Excellent, but wrenching.

The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan

 

 Mostly good, but the ending was over the top.

Pym by Mat Johnson

 

 Funny.

End of Story by A. J. Finn

  

 Very clever, very well written.

The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan

 

 This was so much fun: the same vibe as classic mystery novels, with an interesting cultural twist. Recommended.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman

 

I was predisposed to like this, but it just didn't work for me. It seemed like it wanted to be social commentary, but it fell flat as a book?

Review copy provided by publisher.

Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley

 

 Cheesy, but I liked it.

The Hunter by Tana French

 

 meh

Annihilation by Jeff Vandirmeir

 

 meh

A Love Song for Ricky Wilde by Tia Williams

 

 So, so good.

Women Are the Fiercest Creatures by Andrea Dunlop

 

 This was really fun.

Maybe Next Time by Cesca Major

 

 meh

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner

 

 I really liked this.

The Extinction of Irena Ray by Jennifer Croft

 

 meh

Fellowship Point by Alice Elliott Dark

 

This is one of the most rewarding books I have ever read.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

  

Fun local-ish color, a great read, but -- like so many mysteries -- it got to be a bit bizarre at the end.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano

 

This may be my favorite series. It's excellent, funny, screwball comedy.

Review copy provided by publisher.

The Excitements by C.J. Wray

 

 This was super fun.

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice

 

meh

The Book of Doors by Garth Brown

 

Fantasy and magical realism are so not my thing, but I was just in love with this story.

The Guest by B. A. Paris

 

Started strong, but too many weird relationship connections.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Piglet by Lottie Hazell

 

I think I liked this? It was cringy, often, not in a funny way but in a devastating way. At some moments, perhaps a little over the top?

Review copy provided by publisher.