Old Scores, Cold Harbor, The Tethered Mage, The Silent Shield

  
Old Scores by Will Thomas is a Barker & Llewelynn installment set in 1890 in London.  Shortly after the Japanese delegation visits Cyrus Barker's Japanese garden, the Japanese ambassador is murdered.  Barker is arrested and roughly interrogated by the Special Branch before being released.

Thomas Llewelynn, Barker's assistant, learns a little more about Barker's background in the search for the true murderer of the ambassador.  

This is the 9th book in the series, and I've only read one other, but I have enjoyed them.

Read in July; blog review scheduled for Aug. 3.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books

Historical Mystery.  Oct. 3, 2017.  Print length:  304 pages.



Cold Harbor by Matthew Fitzsimmons is the third book in the Gibson Vaughn series.   

Excerpt from book description:  After a period of brutal isolation in a CIA black-site prison, former Marine and gifted hacker Gibson Vaughn is free—but with no idea where he was or how much time he’s lost. Struggling to maintain his grip on reality, he races to return to the life he left behind. Angry and disoriented, his thoughts turn to vengeance and the man responsible for his rendition. 

 It isn't that I didn't enjoy this one, but The Short Drop, the first in the series is by far my favorite.  I was glad to see some of the characters from the first book.

Read in June; blog review scheduled for Aug. 3.

NetGalley/Thomas & Mercer


Suspense.  Oct. 10, 2017.  Print length:  318 pages.  

The Tethered Mage by Melissa Caruso posits a world where mages are identified early and "drafted" into the Falcon Army, controlled by a Falconer.  Young Zaire has managed to hide her mage-mark and powerful talent for years, but is eventually caught in a situation that changes everything for both Zaire and Amalia Cordaro, who inadvertently becomes Zaire's Falconer.  A Falcon's magic is controlled by magical bracelets known as jesses, and only a Falconer unlock the bracelets to release the magic.

Political intrigue, mystery and magic, and two strong female characters.  An interesting premise.  Did I like it?  Yes, but I didn't love it.  I'll see what the next in the series holds before firming up my opinion.  

Read in June; blog review scheduled for ??

NetGalley/Orbit Books

Fantasy.  Oct. 24, 2017.  Print length:  480 pages.

The Silent Shield by Jeff Wheeler is the fifth entry in this series that I originally thought would be a trilogy.  

The threatened invasion by Gahalatine and his powerful Wizrs, the disappearance of Own Kiskaddon, the departure of King Andrew's own powerful Wizr has Kingfountain in turmoil.  

Trynne, who misses her father and must face the immediate departure of her mother, must put her concerns aside and focus on who might be willing to betray the kingdom.  Her two top suspects include Fallon, the man she has cared for since childhood, and her mother's apprentice, a friend she no longer trusts.

An excellent addition to this series that transforms both British history and the Arthurian legends into a fantasy that provides intriguing characters and suspenseful action.  My only quibble was the conclusion, but perhaps this is a result of a modern outlook.  And anyway, there is one more book to come that might resolve my personal issue!

Read in June; blog review scheduled for Aug. 3

NetGalley/47 North

Fantasy.  Aug. 22, 2017.  Print length:  304 pages.