The Book of Koli (Rampart Trilogy 1) by M.R. Carey

The Girl With All the Gifts and The Boy on the Bridge were books that I loved and that have stayed with me.  Now, Carey has a new trilogy, the first of which is The Book of Koli.

Koli begins by telling us that he has to start at the beginning to tell his tale.  He then recounts his life in Mythen Rood, a small village that struggles to keep safe in a post-apocalyptic world.  

At first, he is Koli Woodsmith, and describes his family, friendships, and much about how the village operates.  Then, at fifteen young people take a new name, and he becomes Koli Waiting.  Those who turn fifteen take the name Waiting as they are housed together waiting for the test that will determine whether of not they become Rampart.  Most young people desperately want to become Rampart because a Rampart can "awaken" the few pieces of tech that have survived.  The Ramparts have a rarefied place in society and are charged with the protection of the village in several ways because certain tech weapons have "wakened" to them.

The beginning is a little slow, but as Koli reveals information in his own particular order, mentioning characters and events, then saying he will get to them later, as he attempts to tell his story in a chronological frame.  Gradually the narrative picks up speed and interest until the reader is immersed in Koli's world and events.

Koli suffers a disappointment at the Testing and realizes he is not able to become a Rampart, and when this is followed by another disappointment, circumstances combine to reveal a shocking truth:  the Testing is not fair and has never been.  Koli, frustrated and angry, makes some choices that will have consequences and long-term effects.

There is an honesty to Koli's account of events.  He includes his mistakes and his shame for some of his behavior, even though he acknowledges his youth, his immaturity, and his lack of knowledge (a result of the isolation of the village).  He gives accurate descriptions of his friends and fellow villagers instead of vilifying them.  The coming-of-age element is an important part of the narrative, especially as Koli meets Ursula and Monomo, and begins what Joseph Campbell refers to as the hero's journey.

OK.  The Book of Koli was a fascinating beginning to the Rampart Trilogy, and if you have enjoyed M.R. Carey's previous books, you may find this one as intriguing and thought-provoking as The Girl With All the Gifts and The Boy on the Bridge.   I can't wait for the next one.  Recommended!

NetGalley/Orbit Books
Dystopian/Science Fiction.  April 14, 2020.  Print length:  416 pages.

Hunting November by Adriana Mather and Starting Over at Acorn Cottage by Kate Forster

Hunting November by Adriana Mather.

from description: After surviving a crash course in espionage at the mysterious Academy Absconditi, November has only one purpose: finding her missing father. Along with fellow student (and heartthrob) Ash, November follows the clues that her father left, embarking on the deadliest treasure hunt of her life.

 I hoped the second book would provide a little more depth, but it stayed surface and action oriented.  The clues and their locations were amazingly difficult and dangerous, and I found it difficult to believe a loving father would put his daughter in such situations.  My ability to suspend belief in the first book was difficult, but in this one...impossible.  Not that I was tempted to abandon it--I wanted to know what happened.

That said, the reviews on Goodreads are extremely high.

NetGalley/Random House Children's
YA/Suspense.  May 5, 2020.  Print length:  368 pages.

Oops!  Clara Maxwell discovers her boyfriend and her best friend are actually a couple.  They weren't quite ready to own up to this when Clara finds out.

In the midst of her shock, anger, and sadness, Clara buys a cottage in a remote village.  Sight unseen.  There you have it. One emotional upset followed by a financial one when Clara actually sees the cottage for the first time.

Some interesting characters, several characters with problems that need solving, and the happy ending you would expect.   

Kindle Unlimited
English Village Cozy.  March 28.   



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An interesting article on The Bystander Effect by Catherine Sanderson.

According to Catherine A Sanderson, a psychology professor at Amherst College in Massachusetts and the author of The Bystander Effect, myriad complex factors make some of us bystanders and some of us heroes. These range from our self-identity to the pressure of social norms. 

Sanderson says she was inspired to write the book by both “personal and global” events: Harvey Weinstein’s sex offences, the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal, and the fact that a student at her son’s college died just two weeks into his very first semester. The student had been drinking heavily and had fallen and hit his head. Although fellow students watched over him, they didn’t call emergency services for nearly 20 hours. By which time it was too late to save him. Her book answers the question at the heart of this incident: why?

 The article encouraged my interest in the book.  It doesn't mention in the article about what happened in Germany during the rise of Hitler, but I'm sure the book covers that situation which led to normal people accepting evil behavior.

I checked with Amazon, but the book was "not available." ??? That only piqued my interest.

Killing November by Adriana Mathers and Other Stuff

I received Hunting November, a YA novel, from NetGalley.  Since it was the second novel in a series, I decided to get the first one and read it before beginning Hunting November.

Adriana Mather's Killing November is the first in the series.  When November Adley's aunt's house is broken into, her father sends her to a boarding school to keep her safe while he deals with the situation.

Academy Abscondititi is an eye-opening experience for November, not least because it appears that someone wants her dead.  It is also off the grid in what appears to be a medieval castle that has no electricity and a curriculum that focuses on physical skills like archery, poisons, knife throwing.

We all know the boarding school trope, and watching November trying to navigate this unusual and dangerous academy kept me reasonably entertained.  November needs to avoid being killed, avoid being held responsible for the murder of one of the students, and she needs to find out who she really is and why someone wants to kill her.

Now, I will proceed to Hunting November, my download from NetGalley to find out what happens next.  Right now, I'm not up to much other than a lot of  escapism.












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These were the last postcards and letters I sent in early March, before we all got worried about mail transmitting the virus.

Now, it has been weeks since I've mailed anything other than a bill or two.  I miss letters--both the sending and the receiving (which has also become very occasional).   All mail entering the house receives the same treatment as packages or groceries.  I'm cautious, but grateful for those who deliver the mail, the medicines, the online necessities.  How are you feeling about mail?

Remember the Plague Doctors?

and a more DIY version

In the Barren Ground

In the Barren Ground by Loreth Anne White takes place in a Canadian wilderness bordering the Arctic Circle.  Tana Larson, young and pregnant, becomes the sole law enforcement for an area that covers 17,500 miles when her superior has some issues with the cold, isolation, and prolonged darkness of the area.

Two young researchers are savaged by wolves, and Tana, after viewing the scene begins to have some doubts about whether the wolves killed the two young people--or arrived after they were dead.

A mixture of legend, madness, and a determined young Mountie who has a surfeit of suspects.

I liked it.  White's writing evokes the atmosphere of the far north.      

Kindle Unlimited.  Read in March.   

The Boy in the Field by Margot Livesey was my favorite book in March, but it won't be published until August, so I'm holding the review.

My husband didn't get this,

but anyone who has grown an avocado tree from an avocado pit will.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, The Black and the White by Alis Hawkins, The Falling Girl by R. Allen Chappell, and Some Loreth Anne White

I'm behind on reviewing; off course, that is usually the case, but in this current turmoil--even more so.  

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson was full of detail and well-researched; some of the details were fascinating, but they were overwhelming.  It was difficult to actually absorb all of the numbers, but interesting to see the myriad complications of planning and creating the Chicago's World Fair.  Interspersed between chapters about the all that went on to actually build the Fair were chapters about the serial killer H.H. Holmes.  

One thing I didn't like was Larson's imagining certain scenes with the killer and his victims.  He addresses this in his notes, but imagining scenes in a nonfiction book annoys me.  I'm glad I read it--I learned some things that will stay with me about the planning of a World Fair and the complications that ensue but I definitely prefer the altered style of Larson's The Splendid and the Vile about Churchill and the blitz.   No imagined scenes in The Splendid and the Vile--all came from letters and personal accounts, and it read more smoothly and more quickly than The Devil in the White City.

Purchased.

Great cover and an intriguing premise.  The Black and the White by Alis Hawkins has some historical interest and is well-written, but the "mystery" is a slow burn--even though the reader is quick to see who the murderer is.  (Martin has all the information and still fails to let it penetrate or persuade him to admit it.)

Anyone interested in the Black Death might enjoy elements of the story that "sort of" coincide with the current pandemic, but as a mystery or thriller, it did not succeed for me.  

Netgalley/Sapere Books
Historical Fiction.  March 30, 2020.  Print length:  370 pages.

Since first reading Navajo Autumn last year, I've read every book in this series.  I have not reviewed all of them, but I have loved each one  and was so excited that R. Allen Chappell had a new entry in the series!

In Falling Girl, Harley Ponyboy takes the lead and adjusts to changes in his circumstances in a purely Harley Ponyboy way!  Harley adapts to his new situation(s) in ways humorous and expected, but also in ways that show growing maturity as he depends less on his friends to counteract the threat.  His initiative is different from that of Charlie Yazzie or Thomas Begay, but effective.

I adore this series and the characters.  If you have the opportunity, get the first book in this series of the Four Corners region of the Southwest and immerse yourself in the culture, characters, and plots because Chappell just keeps getting better!

Kindle Unlimited.

Melody mentioned how much she enjoyed In the Dark by Loreth Anne White a while back and sent me looking forWhite's books.  So far I've read and enjoyed In the Dark, The Dark Lure, and The Dark Bones.  Yes, I do want more.  They are not great literature, they are fast-paced and gripping and keep my mind off the news.  Fortunately, I will be able to read quite a few more.  Free on Kindle Unlimited.  Thanks, Melody.  :)

 I do my daily yoga sadhana.  With the emphasis on breath, yoga gives a respite from the news and overthinking.

The constant rain without time for the ground to dry out has inhibited my ability to garden, but I fill the bird feeders daily.  The birds don't seem to mind the rain, and I enjoy the daily squabbles over whose turn it is on the feeders.  Doves are greedy and sometimes bully the smaller birds.   The hawk that sat on the fence and frightened all the other birds away has not returned.  

Stay safe.  

Jeri Westerson, Louisa Morgan, and C.S. Harris--Historical Fiction

In Sword of Shadows by Jeri Westerson, Crispin Guest is again on the hunt of a fabulous artifact, this one more related to myth than religion.

from description:  London, 1396. A trip to the swordsmith shop for Crispin Guest, Tracker of London, and his apprentice Jack Tucker takes an unexpected turn when Crispin crosses paths with Carantok Teague, a Cornish treasure hunter. Carantok has a map he is convinced will lead him to the sword of Excalibur - a magnificent relic dating back to King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - and he wants Crispin to help him find it.

Tintagel, a hidden village, some murders, jilted lovers, and the return of Kat.  Another fun adventure with Crispin and Jack.

Read in December.  Blog review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/Severn House
Historical Mystery.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  224 pages.

The Age of Witches by Louisa Morgan features a family of witches with historical roots, some benevolent magic vs manipulative magic for self-interest, a social climbing stepmother, a young woman fighting for independence, a little romance.  

Like with ghost stories, witch stories always appeal to me, but rarely satisfy me.  Although I didn't want to abandon it, The Age of Witches didn't make me want to seek out the author again.  For me, it promised more than it delivered.

Read in December.  Blog review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/Redhook Books
Historical Fiction/Paranormal.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  448 pages.  

Whenever a new Sebastian St. Cyr book is released, I'm eager to begin!  Who Speaks for the Damned by C.S. Harris pits Sebastian (Viscount Devlin) against Jarvis and a political cover-up.  That damned Jarvis, he is the epitome of the influential politician.  Of course, he is also Hero's father, which puts Sebastian in many an awkward situation.

Nicholas Hayes was transported to Botany Bay for life and reportedly died there.  Why has he returned to London?  Who killed him and why?  

Sebastian's valet knew Nicholas Hayes and his opinion of the man differs greatly from those who name him as a murderer.  Hayes was accompanied by a young boy who has since disappeared, and Sebastian and Hero search for him.  Someone else is also searching, but the intent is vastly different.  

As always, I enjoyed the history, the mystery, and the characters in C.S. Harris' enthralling series set in Regency England.

Read in November.  Review scheduled for March 16, 2020.

NetGalley/ Berkley Pub.
Historica Mystery.  April 7, 2020.  Print length:  336 pages.

Night of the Dragon by Julie Kagawa, The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot, and Out of Body by Jeffrey Ford

 Night of the Dragon, the final installment of Julie Kagawa's Shadow of the Fox trilogy, follows the little band of heroes to the final conflict with evil.  Hoping against hope to stop the Master of Demon's plan, Yumeko, Tatsumi, Reika, Okame, Daisuke, and the little ghost maiden Suki  embrace the challenges and put their lives on the line for the chance of saving the world.

I love the characters.  I loved the first two books.  This final book, however, deals more with the battles and monsters than with the characters.  I'd be interested in the percentage of time spent on battles vs time spent with characters who have made the trilogy so much fun for me.   The purpose was, perhaps, to increase suspense, but for me, it became simply frustrating.  I quit caring about how many heads and limbs were lost and just wanted to get on with the plot.  Even the appearance of the silent game player that gave a late twist to the plot...didn't quite feel right.

So, if you've been following Shadow of the Fox, you will want to read this to discover a number of secrets revealed and how our charming band of hopefuls end up.  You may not agree with my opinion of too many lengthy battles.

NetGalley/Inkyard Press
YA/Fantasy.  March 31, 2020.  Print length:  384 pages.  

 The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot is the first in her new Columbia River series.  I really enjoyed Elliot's Mercy Kilpatrick series and was pleased to find another series that might keep my interest.

I don't usually listen to audio books, but I did listen to this one while doing mundane chores.  It kept me entertained, and I did a lot more  mindless tasks than I intended.  It was certainly a different experience from reading.

Small town in Oregon, a young black man hanged and his white wife savagely stabbed to death, a weird connection (or two or three) to a murder 20 years previously.

The main character Zander Wells is from a previous series that I haven't read.  A second book is scheduled for this year, and I will probably listen to it as well.  And dust, mop floors, do laundry, do baseboards and ceiling fans, etc.  :)

Kindle Unlimited
Mystery.  January 2020.  Print length:  328 pages.

I rarely read novellas, but I've recently read two, The Order of the Pure Moon Reflecting Water by Zen Cho (which I've scheduled closer to publication) and Jeffrey Ford's Out of Body.

From description: "Jeffrey Ford returns with Out of Body, a new horror story about a small-town librarian whose sleep paralysis becomes something much more."  

OK.  A rather dull librarian experiences out of body episodes that introduce him to the mysteries of the night world.  Murders, vampires, a serial killer, and other strange experiences.  

I was slowly drawn in to this one, mostly because I had no idea what to expect and still don't know what to say about it.

Strange, but not really my thing.

NetGalley/Macmillan, Tor/Forge.
Horror? Fantasy?  May 26, 2020.  Print length:  175 pages.

I'm slowly making my way through two nonfiction books:  The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and Growing Old by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas.  

Anthropomorphzed Books by Johnathan Wolstenholme found here 

The Canary Keeper, The Killing Fog, and No Quiet Among the Shadows

The Canary Keeper by Clare Carson is a historical mystery set in the mid-1800s, full of atmospheric descriptions and historic detail.  I was particularly interested in the connections to the Franklin Expedition because I had a reading itinerary several years ago that focused on books connected directly and indirectly to the Franklin Expedition and Arctic exploration.   There was also a look at the fur trade, the abuses and prejudices against indigenous peoples.  

A murder, a false accusation, and an escape to Stromness in the Orkney Islands of Scotland.  

Kindle Unlimited

Historic Mystery.  2019.  Print length:  416 pages.

The Killing Fog (#1 in the Grave Kingdom series) by Jeff Wheeler.  

I loved Wheeler's Kingfountain series and enjoyed his Harbinger series, as well.  This new series, however, didn't engage me in the same way.  

A lot of possibility and a strong beginning, but the characters lack the depth and interest of those in his previous series.  The rush into the plot left no time to appreciate either the characters or the world situation.

Disappointed, but will give the next book in the series a try.

Kindle Unlimited

Fantasy.  March 1, 2020.  Print length:  212 pages.

No Quiet Among the Shadows by Nancy Herriman is a historical mystery set in San Francisco.  

A glimpse of the husband Celia Davies thought was dead, the murder of an investigator, seances, and women and wives who are troublesome committed to asylums.  Some intriguing avenues for a mystery.

This is the third in this series, but I haven't read the first two books.  Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if I had.

NetGalley/Beyond the Page Publishing
Historical Mystery.  March 3, 2020.  Print length:  264 pages.

 Blind date with a book

Why Writing Matters by Nicholas Delbanco

Why Writing Matters is full of Delbanco's personal experiences with writing, with his mentors, and with his students.  (I know I mentioned this book when I read it, but this is a more detailed review.)

Delbanco begins with one of the most important reasons for writing:  "before the invention of writing, spoken discourse could not last."  Oral transmission, while wonderful for making use of memory, is "subject to forgetfulness or change."  The oral tradition was marvelous, but writing has more permanence.  

Writing, words on a page or clay tablet, allows cultures to be shared and provides a way to imagine the future and to keep evidence of the past.  Writing enables us to communicate with those who are not physically present--and recorded history and literature allow us to communicate with those from the past. 


One important note that Delbanco makes early, and returns to later:  Read it again!  Our first impressions of a written work can change.  The beloved books of our youth can take on new meaning or become obvious in their lack of genuine content or style.  When an adolescent Delbanco was spouting the marvels of The Scarlet Pimpernel, one of his teachers advised him to read it again. At fourteen, he did and discovered that while the book had been fun and exciting, it was not the great literature he had imagined.  Delbanco's reminiscences of his teachers, mentors, and colleagues reveal how writers learn their trade and inspire each other.   

( Delbanco was a privileged and intelligent kid with the added advantage of some marvelous teachers at his prep school.  Fieldston is part of the Ivy Preparatory School League and is an elite school with impressive graduates and teachers.)  

After Fieldston, 
He was educated at Harvard University, B.A. 1963; Columbia University, M.A. 1966. He taught at Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont, 1966–84, and at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York, 1984–85. He was a visiting Professor at such institutions also as Trinity College, Williams College, Columbia University and the University of Iowa. He was director of the MFA Program, and the Hopwood Awards Program at the University of Michigan, until his retirement in 2015. (Wikipedia)

The section on imitation is interesting, and Delbanco emphasizes that for many trades apprenticeship has been the preferred way to learn.  He adds, "But to imitate is not to be derivative; it's simply to admit that we derive from what was accomplished by others."   And "No one seeks to be original when learning scales, or how to use a grindstone, or where the comma belongs in a dependent clause. "  We emulate in order to learn skills.

Delbanco also discusses imitation, forgery, plagiarism, and authenticity in an intriguing way with famous examples.

The exploitation and corruption of language is another way of examining both spoken and written words.   Think politicians--saying one thing, then saying they didn't say it or that they didn't mean it.  Instead of cogent and meaningful discourse, the choosing of hyperbole and boastfulness, repetition "as if asseveration might make a falsehood true"  has become more and more common.  Do people mean what they say or what they write?  I find it difficult to believe political rhetoric, mostly because it lacks sincerity at best and is predominantly ad hominem attack without content or truth at worst.  An intentional misuse of language, Delbanco believes is an assault on democracy.  I'm not sure anyone would disagree these days.

 This wasn't intended to such a long review, but as I skim over all the highlighted passages I marked as I read, there is no way to cover everything.  There are sections I would omit.  Sometimes a few examples are better than too many and Delbanco, who takes obvious joy in writing, can overdo a good thing at times.  :)

The book was a pleasure to read, and I loved the references to writers I've read and to some I've only read about.  I enjoyed the plays on words  (though maybe some should be cut) and Debanco's pleasure in language is evident throughout, and I loved learning a couple of new-to-me interpretations of quotes from Hamlet. 

I want to read the final edited version and have pre-ordered the book.  Read in January; blog review scheduled for March 3.

NetGalley/Yale U.P.
Nonfiction.  March 17, 2020.  Print length:  296 pages (ARC)

When We Were Vikings by Andrew David MacDonald and Glass Houses by Louise Penny

I know a lot of people loved When We Were Vikings, and sometimes I did, too. 

from description:  For Zelda, a twenty-one-year-old Viking enthusiast who lives with her older brother, Gert, life is best lived with some basic rules:

1. A smile means “thank you for doing something small that I liked.”
2. Fist bumps and dabs = respect.
3. Strange people are not appreciated in her home.
4. Tomatoes must go in the middle of the sandwich and not get the bread wet.
5. Sometimes the most important things don’t fit on lists.

But when Zelda finds out that Gert has resorted to some questionable—and dangerous—methods to make enough money to keep them afloat, Zelda decides to launch her own quest. Her mission: to be legendary. It isn’t long before Zelda finds herself in a battle that tests the reach of her heroism, her love for her brother, and the depth of her Viking strength.

I loved Zelda, who suffers from cognitive disabilities as a result of fetal alcohol syndrome, and sympathized with Gert, who had been responsible for her most of her life. 

It wasn't the characters that didn't work for me, they were well realized.  It was the narrative that bothered me.  Also, Zelda's ability to read and retain information,to add and use words to her vocabulary daily, as well as her ability to problem-solve were a little puzzling.  I know college-educated adults who would have difficulty reading nonfiction works about Vikings and remembering in detail.  Zelda shows both maturity and immaturity in equal measure, almost as if her intellect was fine and only her emotional responses were childlike. 

There were parts I loved, but something (I'm not sure exactly what--a kind of ambivalence or doubt that kept creeping in) kept me from wholeheartedly believing.

I do recommend When We Were Vikings.  A sense of compassion permeates the story.  It is easy to fall in love with Zelda and to admire Gert's commitment to his sister.  The support of AK47 and others is another uplifting element to this modern myth of heroes, Valkyries, and villains.  

NetGalley/Gallery, Pocket Books
Literary Fiction.  Feb. 1, 2020.  Print length:  335 pages.  


Louise Penny's Glass Houses begins slowly with a murder trial, but moves back and forth in time between the inciting event and the trial.  

Nearly a year before the trial, a strange masked figure wearing a hooded black robe appears at a Halloween party.  No one recognizes the figure and the figure remains silent, ignoring the questions of party goers.  Puzzling, but since it is a Halloween party, most of Three Pines residents and the two visiting couples find it merely curious.  

The next day, the figure appears on the village green, silent and seemingly immobile--and curiosity turns to uneasiness.  When Armand Gamache approaches it, questioning its identity and intent, the silence and lack of physical response begin to feel menacing.  The figure has hurt no one, but the silent vigil is unnerving for the community.  They want Gamache to do something, but no laws have been broken.

Eventually a guest mentions the cobrador del frac--a Spanish debt collector dressed in top hat and tails who follows people who owe money and refuse to pay.   

He adds that much less is known about the medieval origin of the cobrador, a collector of moral debts--who acted as a conscience and stalked his target until confession or penance occurred.  

The idea of an incarnation of the ancient cobrador--taking no action, speaking not at all, but shaming the guilty party--causes citizens of Three Pines and their guests to wonder whose moral crimes have attracted the cobrador.  And who has called a Conscience to Three Pines.  

In a discussion of conscience, the question is asked about why the Holocaust happened.  Myrna answers, "It happened because no one stopped them.  Not enough people stood up soon enough.  And why was that?"  

Clara suggests fear may have prevented people taking action,  and Myrna responds, "Yes, partly.  And partly programming.  All around them, respectable Germans saw others behaving brutally toward people they considered outsiders.  The Jews, gypsies, gays.  It became normal and acceptable.  No one told them what was happening was wrong.  In fact, just the opposite."   

Armand follows up a little later with "We see it when bullies are in charge.  It becomes part of the culture of an institution, a family, an ethnic group, a country.  It becomes not just acceptable, but expected.  Applauded even."

The cobrador is conscience, and someone in  the tiny village knows that he or she is the guilty party.  Then a murder.  

As the narrative moves back and forth between the court scenes and the arrival of the cobrador in Three Pines nearly a year earlier, the background is gradually filled in.   

Gamache faces a dilemma that results in a decision that will bother his conscience with either  dreadful choice.  

Character-driven and complex, Glass Houses is another outstanding offering from Louise Penny.

Now, I have only three more books to be caught up with this remarkable series.  

Purchased.
Crime/Mystery.  2017.  Print length:  391 pages.

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One of my favorite books last year was Erik Larson's The Splendid and the Vile:  A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz.

Here is an interesting interview:  Erik Larson on Writing Wartime Life During the London Blitz. 

Mike Hambling's DCI Sophie Allen Series

In November of last year, I read Silent Crimes by Michael Hambling as an ARC from NetGalley. The book was #8 in a series featuring DCI Sophie Allen, and although I had not read any of the previous books, it worked well as a stand-alone.  

I like police procedurals, so I ordered and read the first in the series Dark Crimes: Sophie Allen #1.

from description:  A young woman’s body is discovered on a deserted footpath in a Dorset seaside town late on a cold November night. She has been stabbed through the heart.
It seems like a simple crime for DCI Sophie Allen and her team to solve. But not when the victim’s mother is found strangled the next morning. The case grows more complex as DCI Sophie Allen discovers that the victims had secret histories, involving violence and intimidation.

I just realized that I didn't review it at the time, but I did keep Hambling in mind because I wanted to read more.  

Kindle Unlimited



This month, I went back to the series and read books 2,3, and 4.  They read quickly and are full of puzzling investigations.  

from description:   A young man’s mutilated body is found on top of the Agglestone, a well-known local landmark on Studland Heath
It seems that he was involved in a human trafficking and prostitution gang. 
There is also a thread concerning Sophie's father.  It was believed that he deserted her pregnant mother, but when a body is found down a mine shaft, Sophie and her mother realize he was murdered.

Kindle Unlimited. 

from description:  The body of an attractive festival-goer is discovered on the rocky shoreline at Peveril Point
But the young woman’s injuries arouse suspicion. Who was the man she met? Is there a history of suspicious deaths at other music festivals across the area?
 Sophie is still dealing with the effects of the previous book and her own involvement.  She has had therapy and is now trying to get on with her life.

A new character is introduced.  Transgender detective constable Rae Gregson joins the team--hoping to fit in, but aware of potential problems.

Kindle Unlimited

 from description:  A family move into their dream home in Dorchester: it seems perfect, particularly for their two children, but when Philip and Jill Freeman decide to move a buddleia bush, what they find buried beneath its roots will haunt them forever.

 Decades old murders are short on clues, but the team works at all of the twists presented.  Kept me a bit off-center and guessing about two possible suspects.  

Kindle Unlimited.


I'll eventually get to the other books in this series.  :)

Just Sayin'