Tag: katy watson

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July Book Releases

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well today! As it is now July it is time to share some of the book releases for this month.

As usual, this is not an exhaustive list. It is simply some of the books I have seen around and some of the books I am personally interested in reading.

Which of these books are you most excited about?

It Could Have been Her by Lisa Jewell – 2nd July

It was the night she almost died.

Jane Trevally, newly divorced and feeling a little lost, agrees to accompany a man she doesn’t know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath. She’s offered a drink, goes in, and then – a scream and the sound of something falling upstairs – Jane senses she’s in a bad place. She runs.

Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a small white dog who’s been found near her home in the country; a dog whose owner has just been reported missing.

A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house’s secrets – secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, especially when she realises it could have been her. . .

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren – 14th July

One tragic accident.
One troubled marriage erased from memory.
One extraordinary do-over.

Three years ago, Emery Finch did something completely out of character: she got married. To Luca – the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel.

But now, Emery is consumed by her top-secret job, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge research comes to light. Until the unthinkable happens: a tragic accident takes Luca from her.

Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule to bring him back. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together . . . all of it is gone.

It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it’s her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won’t waste it – because true love is always worth reviving.

Death on the Lively Sea by Katy Watson – 16th July

A YACHT FULL OF SUSPECTS, ON A SEA OF RED HERRINGS . . .

Rosalind King, Caro Hooper and Posy Starling may be famous for each playing fictional detective Dahlia Lively on screen, but their growing reputation for solving real murder cases has prompted an offer that they can’t refuse . . .

Property mogul and billionaire, Percy Pendleton, has invited them for a two-week trip on his mega yacht this summer to investigate a case of expected murder.

Percy doesn’t believe that his father’s recent death was natural, despite what the police say. In fact, he thinks he’s going to be murdered too – and soon.

Not being one to sit around waiting for things to happen, he’s gathered all the people he suspects of wanting him dead for a luxury cruise around the Mediterranean. He’s giving the three Dahlias the length of the voyage to investigate his father’s demise, figure out who wants him dead, and stop them.

It’s a challenge unlike any they’ve ever tackled before. But at least they get to enjoy the sun, sea and a Limoncello Spritz while they’re interviewing the suspects . . .

The Gilded Blade by Jennifer Lynn Barnes – 16th July

In the stunning finale to the global phenomenon of the Inheritance Games Saga (over 6 million copies sold!), discover danger, riches, romance–and the staggering answers to long-brewing mysteries.
All games must come to an end. In this series-shattering conclusion, everyone is a player, long-held secrets are unveiled, precious threads are unraveled, and impossible mysteries are solved. In the grandest of games, there is so much to win–money, love, power, revenge–but there is also everything to lose.
The truth will be revealed in #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Lynn Barnes’ most masterful puzzle yet.

A Forsaken Prophecy – 16th July

In a world of high-class magic and gangster grit, a star-crossed couple must decide where their loyalties lie in the sizzling romantasy follow-up to BookTok star Stacey McEwan’s New York Times & USA Today bestseller, A Forbidden Alchemy

In Belavere Trench, the Artisans and the Craftsmen are at war. Patrick, the last Alchemist, and Nina, the world’s only known earth Charmer, have been captured by the Artisans, putting Patrick’s rebel union in a precarious position.

Though he hasn’t forgiven Nina her betrayals, Patrick has other things to worry about. He is finally reunited with his father, a prisoner of the Artisans, and the group lands a narrow escape only with the help of Nina’s first love, Theo.

Decoding an ancient prophecy, they set off in search of an infinite supply of idium that will determine the course of the war, should it prove more than a myth. Fleeing across Craftsman towns on the brink, they will encounter old friends – and enemies – in search of answers.

Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena – 16th July

She loves her husband. But she might love their house more . . .

Jill and Ted adore their New York brownstone the way others adore their children. They have carefully, expensively, made every inch of it their own. It reflects who they are, their status and tastes. With the grand mahogany staircase and state-of-the-art kitchen, it is the stuff of glossy magazines and real-estate dreams. It is their sanctuary.

So when Ted’s inheritance runs out and he makes a bad investment, they panic. How can they protect their beloved home and enviable lifestyle?

The answer is obvious. Or at least, it is obvious to Jill and Ted. The death of one wealthy family member could solve all their problems. Together, they will get away with murder.

As long as they trust each other.
And as long as there are no surprises . . .

Theodora’s Tea Shop by Christy Anne Jones – 28th July

Nothing is more dangerous than a witch with secrets.

Dorothy Louise Walcott should have died at fourteen. She is now twenty-three, timid, chronically ill, and yearning for a life she can never have. Her dreams of studying magic and publishing her discoveries feel impossible: even if license-less magic weren’t outlawed, her family would never allow it. But if Dot stays at home any longer, she will wither and fade away. So with nothing but a carpetbag and her ambergris tonic, Dot flees dreary Seafarthing for the capital city of Alliaster, where she tumbles headfirst into an apprenticeship with the most powerful witch in the city: Theodora.

Empress of an underground syndicate peddling magic through the quaint façade of her tea shop, Theodora is everything Dot wants to be: beautiful, witty, confident. An esteemed oil painter one day, a member of parliament the next, the many faces of Theodora have charmed power from the city’s elite. Under her tutelage and in the company of the tea shop’s eccentric staff – headstrong teenager Rupert, brooding and Byronic magician Lio, and the kindly spirit Belchambre – Dot finally has the chance to be her true magical self.

But the dazzling and enigmatic Theodora has more secrets than she does faces. When her dark past comes calling, it threatens to drown her entire empire – and take Dot, the tea shop, and the city of Alliaster with it.

Prince of Swords by Elise Kova – 21st July

I am terrified. Yet my heart skips a beat. This man might be a monster, but he is my monster.

Clara Graysword is Oricalis’s most wanted. Hunted and cornered, not even her mastery of tarot can save her this time . . . until the mysterious Worldkeepers appear. This secretive order may hold the key to changing Clara’s fate. If she dares to trust them.

But the most dangerous alliance of all is one she’s already deeply ensnared within: Prince Kaelis.

Kaelis, second-born prince of Oricalis and headmaster of Arcana Academy, is the one man she can’t escape – maybe she doesn’t want to escape. Ruthless, dangerous, and bound to Clara by destiny and desire, Kaelis tests her heart as much as her loyalty. Together, they grow closer to the most powerful secrets of the tarot . . . and to the truths they both hide that could destroy the passion that they no longer deny.

Hidden in plain sight within Arcana Academy, Clara walks the dagger’s edge. Revelations about Oricalis threaten everything she thought she knew, and every choice she makes is the difference between salvation and ruin.

To change the world, Clara must risk everything – her power, her beliefs, and her heart.

Heathermoor by Shannon Meyer – 23rd July

Still reeling from the betrayal that shattered her at Neverthorn, Harlow Daygon is in hiding.

Again.

Magically disguised and barely holding it together, she and the rest of House Phoenix are masquerading as students at Heathermoor, Neverthorn’s mysterious Scottish sister school.

The castle looks like a fairytale on acid, the Fae here wield wild magic like it’s a contact sport, and the headmaster might be one cryptic riddle away from full-blown villain.

But for the first time in a long time Harlow feels almost at home.

Too bad peace never lasts in the Dwimmer world.

The Grym Dunaras is still lost. The kraken gold has vanished. And Typhon has found them.

And this time, he’s not the only danger. Close on his heels is a member of the Senate who’d love nothing more than to burn Heathermoor to the ground.

If Harlow can’t hold her team—or herself—together, she’ll lead her found family straight into a war they can’t win.

Or survive.

Forgive Us Our Trespasses by Reverend Penny Stephens – 16th July

When Reverend Clare Brakespear is invited to lead the Morva Hotel’s annual ‘Refresh and Renew’ retreat, she’s excited about the change of scene. A weeklong trip to Cornwall promises quiet reflection, sea air and a chance to unwind.

The last thing Clare expects is to find herself in the middle of unfinished business. As the guests arrive, tensions rise and old wounds reopen. Everyone’s harbouring a secret and one of them may be the key to solving a year-long missing person case. When new evidence comes to light, Clare must team up once again with the prickly DCI Jackie Carter to uncover the truth – before the retreat turns deadly.

Daybreak by Autumn Woods – 3oth July

Alex Corbeau-Green’s world is burning. Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t start the fire . . .

Ophelia came to the elite Sorrowsong University to destroy Alex and his family. But that was before she knew him. Before their love became each of their reasons for living.

Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced back to New York. He is desperate to forget what they had – and salvage his empire. Ophelia is left behind in the Scottish Highlands, reeling, alone . . . and watched.

When a new, anonymous tormentor threatens to reveal evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other and repair the love they had?

And even if they can – will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

From Autumn Woods, Daybreak is the stunning conclusion to the Sunday Times bestseller Nightshade – a dark academia romance brimming with snarky banter, shadowy figures, and sizzling tension.

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My Favourite Books of 2025

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a lovely day today. As you will have seen last week I shared my least favourite books of the year so far, excluding December as that month has not finished yet, and now I am sharing my favourite books of each month so far this year.

January – Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

This year started off with a bang. I had been putting this book off since it came out, I wasn’t sure I was going to like it and now, I think about it every day. It also started a dragon obsession, I now own over ten dragon teddies.

February – Murder by Candlelight by Faith Martin

I read this book one night while I was in the hospital as it was a deal on my kindle and I ended up absolutely loving it. I can’t wait for the third book to be released in January.

March – Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano

Another book I had been putting off, I liked the first two but I didn’t love them but this one I must have read it at just the right time because I loved this one. It was fun and action packed.

April – Capturing the Devil by Kerri Maniscalco

This year is definitely the time for reading the books I have been putting off, this is another one. It is the final one in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series. I loved getting to see the end of this story though I love the characters and would want to spend every day with them, currently this is up there as my favourite book of the year.

May – In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price

This book follows Lizzie and Darcy as they solve mysteries together, I adore this series and while there are some things I would change about the two characters I will read any book by this author.

June – The Protest by Rob Rinder

The third in his series, following a lawyer who gets more involved in solving cases than a usual lawyer. I love this series, I have so far read every book the day it came out. The mysteries are great but I just love Adam and can’t wait to see what happens to him next.

July – A Deadly Night at the Theatre by Katy Watson

The fifth? I think, in the three dahlias series. Even though this was my favourite read this month, this was my least favourite of this series so far. I felt that the relationship between the three lead characters was different and not as good as usual. But I still loved it.

August – Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

Oh the nostalgia. The emotion. This book has my heart definitely. It was beautifully told and made me understand Hyamitch’s character a lot better.

September – The Killer Question by Janice Hallett

A great mystery, as usual from Janice Hallett. I love the way these stories are told through mixed media, it makes it much more interesting.

October – Pandora by Susan Stokes-Chapman

I loved this book. It had both a gothic and a historical feel about it. It was much darker than I expected it to be but I really enjoyed it, I loved the character of Dora.

November – Fate of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell

The third in the Way of the Argosi series, a spin off of the Spellslinger series. I have loved following Ferrius Parfax and seeing how her character became what it is in the Spellslinger series. This series is all about adventure and the unlikely hero. I love it.

What are some of your favourite books of this year?

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The Best Crime Fiction So Far This Year

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all doing well. As you can see by the title of this blog post, today I will be sharing with you all the books I rate in my top ten of the crime fiction books that I have read so far this year. It will be interesting to come back to this list in December and see how things have changed, or maybe it won’t have we shall have to see.

As you may or may not know, I enjoy a good crime fiction book, so much so I am doing my thesis on it, but I am very picky with what I like. So, I can tell you that so far this year I have read 28 books that fall into the category of crime fiction. That’s quite a lot, isn’t it. Anyway, from those I’d say there’s only four that I really have not liked at all. Most of them I would say were just okay, maybe nothing special but today I am sharing my top ten with you.

At number 10:

Murder at the Village Fair by Helena Dixon. This is somewhere in the middle of the Miss Underhay mystery series, I have so far this year read seven or eight of this series so for this list I tried to limit myself to only choosing one and this one was it. It was reminiscent of old Agatha Christie stories, set in a village fair on a sunny day, very nostalgic, and the mystery was clever too which is always a bonus. I love revisiting these characters, Matthew and Kitty with each new book, if you’re looking for a quick and easy read then this series could work for you.

At number 9:

In Want of A Suspect by Tirzah Price. This is part of the Jane Austen style murder mystery novels, starting with Pride and Premeditation, but it is also sort of a spin off of that series. It follows Lizzie and Darcy, who we meet in Pride and Premeditation, and we see a continuation of their story which is not really connected but also it connected to the rest of the series. That is probably a bit confusing but it makes sense if you read the books. I enjoyed that this had a regency feel to it and I loved continuing Darcy and Lizzie’s story, they were my favourite characters from the series so far.

At number 8:

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro. As you can see by these three books on this list so far, I am quite partial to a historical mystery. 1920s/1930s and victorian are definitely the sweet spot for me though. This one is set in victorian london and you follow two characters: Inspector Bell of the police and Gemma Tate who was a nurse in Crimea but returned home to negative opinions. I loved seeing the relationship forming between these two main characters, it worked alongside the mystery brilliantly. I will say this series is a lot darker than I first thought it would be, you might need to check the trigger warnings for it but safe to say I love it, I bought the series about two months ago and I have read books 1-3 already.

At number 7:

Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun by Elle Cosimano. I had put off reading this book for ages. Honestly, I read the first book in the series, about a woman who writes novels and is overheard while talking to her agent and winds up being hired as a hitwoman, and loved it and then book two wasn’t that good in my opinion but I already owned book three – this one – so I wanted to give it a go but I was worried I’d hate it so it took me ages to read it. But I am glad I did, it is one of my favourite books of the year so far. It was the perfect blend of fun and danger.

At number 6;

A Deadly Night at the Theatre by Katy Watson. I won’t say too much here because I am doing a full book review for this novel but as part of the Three Dahlias series, I think it could be my favoruite so far. I loved the setting of the theatre and the way everything played out.

At number 5:

Dog Sitter Detective Plays Dead by Antony Johnston. This series follows Gwinny, an older woman who used to be an actress but has been out of work for a while. While getting back into it she encounters a bunch of murders. Again the books in this series are hit or miss for me but this one, book three I believe, was really good. It takes place on a film set which was great for including red herrings and disguises and fun things like that.

At number 4:

The Diabolical Bones by Bella Ellis. And back to the historical mystery. This series, that starts with the vanished bride, follows the Bronte sisters as they solve different mysteries. The first book in the series is very classical, a manor house mystery, this second book got a lot darker. The mystery they have to solve is a set of bones, of a child, being found hidden away in a house and they find out what happened and whose bones they might have been. This book literally gave me chills.

At number 3:

The Last Word is Death by Faith Martin. I think I will probably do these two together because number 3 and number 2 are the first and second books in the same series. A Murder by Candlelight and The Last Word is Death by Faith Martin. This series follows Arbie, he travels around writing books about places that are supposedly haunted even though he doesn’t actually believe in ghosts, and his friend Val as they end up in different places together and in the process of ghost hunting end up solving murders too. This was the biggest surprise of the year for me. I ended up in hospital in February and all I could find on ebook was Murder by Candlelight and I remember thinking I’ll give it a go but not hoping too much, and I ended up loving it and reading the second book immediately after.

At number 1:

The Protest by Rob Rinder. This is the third book in his series following a young, newly qualified, lawyer as he gets caught up in different cases. It took a little while to warm to the character who seemed not very confident to begin with, but now I’m on book three and I am loving it. I read these books as soon as I get them and I just cannot get enough. Can’t wait for book four.

Book Reviews

Book Review: A Deadly Night At The Theatre by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today. I am bringing you my book review for the latest book in the Three Dahlias series by Katy Watson A Deadly Night At The Theatre.

Blurb/Synopsis:

MURDER IS WAITING IN THE WINGS . . .

Actresses Posy Starling and Caro Hooper both gained a name for themselves playing fictional detective Dahlia Lively on screen – but now they are back treading the boards in London’s theatre district, starring in two very different plays.

Their fellow Dahlia, Rosalind King, is in the city to catch their opening weeks, but she can’t help but notice some tensions between Posy and Caro. Perhaps because of Caro’s new friendship with her co-star Luke Burrows, who seems to have a history with Posy . . .

Before Rosalind can get to the bottom of what’s going on, Luke is found dead. Worse, his body is found in Posy’s dressing room – with Posy standing over him, covered in his blood.

The West End is in uproar, but the cast of the two plays have closed ranks. Posy needs her fellow Dahlias to prove her innocence – but first she has to convince them that she didn’t do it.

The play’s the thing… but when all their suspects are actors, how can the Dahlias tell what’s real, and what’s just theatre?

Whether you’ve read the whole series, or are discovering the Three Dahlias novels for the first time, this is the perfect murder mystery to escape into if you love Agatha Christie, Jessica Fellowes and Janice Hallett.

My Review:

This series follows Rosalind, Caro and Posy, three women of various ages who have at one time in their lives played the character of Dahlia Lively, all three of them are actresses. In the first book they get off to a rocky start at a Dahlia Lively convention where their host is murdered, and they have to work together to find out who the murderer is. As the series has progressed they have formed a friendship that has been fun to explore as they solve different cases together.

This next adventure is a little different. As the novel opens you become aware of tension between the three of them. I enjoyed this new element because I felt that it made the characters more believable, more real, and more human. After many books where their relationship is so strong it was interesting to see a few cracks appearing. I also liked the setting of two different stage plays and exploring how the different casts are separate and yet also linked to each other in different ways. I especially enjoyed the twists in this novel, if I had concentrated harder I probably could have guessed them before they happened but with the fast paced excitement of it all I was swept along and got to be surprised by them as they happened.

Have you read this book or any of the books in this series? What did you think of them?

Monthly Wrap Ups

July Wrap Up!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today, it is the first of August and that means it is time for my monthly wrap up of what I did and what I read in July.

I don’t know about any of you but July was crazy busy for me, every time I thought I would have a day to myself to relax it got filled with something else and so heading into August I’m pretty much exhausted constantly. And now it is the summer holidays, so I’ll be even busier. Anyway, nevermind. I still managed to get some good books read in July and hopefully I will be able to do the same in August.

From my July TBR:

  • Us In Ruins by Rachel Moore – I have not read this. I am at the end of the month and it is this and one other book left on my TBR, I just don’t have enough time to get to it this month.
  • Ignite Me by Taherah Mafi – I am currently reading, and enjoying this book. Actually as I am writing this I plan on finishing this book tonight.
  • A Corruption of Blood by Ambrose Parry – I did read this. The third book in the series following Dr Will Raven in Edinburgh, The series has taken a turn I was not expecting and I am currently unsure if I like where this seems to be going or not but I guess we will see.
  • Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas – I did not read this. I have kept it on my book cart because there is still a chance I will get to it by the end of this month but if not I might find time next month.
  • A Deadly Night At The Theatre by Katy Watson – I did read this. The next installment in the Three Dahlias series. I enjoyed how this time we saw the three women a bit at odds with each other, it made them seem more human in a way which I liked although some of the plot felt a little forced it was still a great book.
  • The Painted Dragon by Katherine Woodfine – I did read this and I did not really enjoy it. This is the third book in the series, there is a fourth but I don’t think I am going to read it.
  • Murder at the Village Fair by Helena Dixon – I did read this. This is book 12? maybe? of the Miss Underhay series and as with all the others, a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Outside of my TBR I also read Murder at the Highland Castle by Helena Dixon. This means I have read six books this month which I am pretty pleased about, it could have been better and I could have rushed those last two books but I hope to enjoy both of them so, perhaps I will read them in August.

One thing I have been doing recently is I have a book journal where I write down what books I have read and when and this new one that I got online has monthly pages that you fill in which books are your favourite and least favourite of the month which then goes into a chart to show the best book of the year.

My favourite book this month was….. A Deadly Night at the Theatre by Katy Watson

My least favourite book was….. The Painted Dragon by Katherine Woodfine, unfortunately I just do not get the same enjoyment from this series as I used to.

What were your favourite reads of this month?

Monthly TBRs

July TBR!

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you’re all having a good day today and a lovely summer. I can’t believe it is summer already, half the year is gone.

Today I am sharing my TBR for the month of July, there are so many books that I want to read right now it was hard to choose. What are you looking forward to reading in July?

Us In Ruins by Rachel Moore

Ignite Me by Taherah Mafi

A Corruption Of Blood by Ambrose Parry

Heir Of Fire by Sarah J Maas

A Deadly Night At The Theatre by Katy Watson

The Painted Dragon by Katherine Woodfine

Murder At The Village Fair by Helena Dixon

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Contemporary Cosy Crime

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Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all today? I hope you are all doing well. Today I am bringing something a little bit different. If you have seen a lot of my posts you probably know that I am doing a PhD surrounding the topic of Cosy Crime and so I have had to read a LOT of it, especially recently. When I started my degree I thought, this will be fin I love Cosy crime, it’s my favourite style of murder mystery novel. And it still is, which is good at least. However, I have thoughts. And I thought it might be fun to share some of these thoughts and see what other people are thinking about the genre at the moment. If you are a cosy crime reader, let me know what you think of some of these books!

The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman

Okay, I have a love hate relationship with this series. I didn’t mind the first book, I enjoyed the second book and then hated the third and fourth books so I have decided not to continue the series with number five when it comes out later this year. It’s difficult to explain what I don’t like about this series, I’m not overly keen on elderly characters as the sleuths because it is so overdone now but this series was one of the first to do it so that didn’t bother me so much with books one and two. I think one of the things that I dislike is that the tone, trying to stay cosy, goes too far into conversational and the people who are meant to be villains their voices are too similar to each other and to the ‘heroes’ of the story. There are also mentions of our main four characters, especially Elizabeth, being involved with these other things that really belong more in a thriller than in cosy crime in my opinion. As it has gone on these things have grated on me more and more to the point that after I have finished my PhD I will be unhauling the series.

The Miss Underhay series by Helena Dixon

Now, from a love/hate relationship to one of pure love. This series took over my life from the minute I picked up the first book. It follows Kitty Underhay, her Grandmother runs a hotel called The Dolphin in Torquay and the series is set in the 1930s England. (It’s actually set close to the area where I live so being able to recognise locations is really fun). When it starts we learn that Kitty’s Mother went missing when she was a child and has never been found. Then we meet Captain Matthew Bryant. Over the series Matthew and Kitty become involved in a variety of murder mysteries. If you are looking for something groundbreaking then this series is not for you but if you like something classic, with good twists and brilliant loveable characters then you will enjoy this.

The Marlow Murder Club series by Robert Thorogood

This series follows Judith – an older woman, Suzy – a dog walker, and Becks – the wife of the vicar and their lives in Marlow and how they meet and become involved in murder investigations. This is another series that I absolutely love, I do think as we are going into later books that it might start feeling a bit flat with the way the characters are, I don’t think we learn much more about them as the series progresses but at the moment I love it. They are intriguing and keep my interest which is good because I get bored easily especially with series. I like the connection between the characters and I think that is what keeps pulling me back to this series.

The Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano

This series, well, I loved book one and then I found book two a drag to get through but then I loved book three so it is a bit up and down for me. I love the premise, a writer is accidentally overheard talking about her novel plot and gets hired to kill this woman’s husband. That was really different and intriguing and Finlay, the writer, is with respect, very chaotic and messy. Her life is falling to pieces and somehow she gets caught up in all these things while also holding a very interesting romantic subplot with a policeman no less. That ups the stakes drastically. It’s really just a very fun series that doesn’t take itself seriously. Sometimes the plots can be a little confusing but overall I enjoy it.

The Windsor Knot series by S J Bennett

This series is very interesting because it follows elderly characters like is the trend in cosy, but in this series that elderly woman is Queen Elizabeth II of England and members of her staff. It is another series where overall I enjoy it but the individual books can be hit or miss for me. I enjoy it’s uniqueness but it is middle of the road for me, I couldn’t tell you much about the books after six months from reading them.

The Dog Sitter Detective series by Antony Johnston

This series follows another older lady, named Gwinny, who is an actress that was big in the day but now has faded into the background but struggling for money she has had to get more roles again. As a character I don’t mind Gwinny, she dog sits hence the name, she’s independent, curious and frankly, finds trouble no matter where she goes. The romantic subplot that shows up here is not one that I am interested in and I’d prefer if the series didn’t have it but I can overlook it for the plots. So far there has been a rockstar on a canal boat, a theatre play and a film set murder and I enjoyed all of them. It’s not a favourite series but it is a fun, easy read.

The Vera Wong series by Jessie Q Sutanto

This series follows Vera Wong, a lady who owns a tea shop and comes downstairs one morning and finds a man murdered inside her shop, believing the Police aren’t doing their job she decides to investigate for herself. I liked the brazenness of the main character, Vera and I also liked the element of found family that develops in this book but I think there were some aspects that weren’t memorable so again it is a middle of the road series but I am looking forward to reading the new book in the series.

The Castle Knoll series by Kristen Perrin

This series is interesting. I actually have unhauled the first book because I didn’t like it but then I bought the second book because it sounded a lot better, so when I read that we will see what it is like. But for now lets talk about book 1, How To Solve Your Own Murder. It follows the Granddaughter of a woman who was told many years ago by a fortune teller that one day she will be murdered and she spends the rest of her time watching everyone and then when the novel begins her Granddaughter arrives at her house and finds her there, murdered. There’s also some flirting with the local policeman that somewhat disappointingly doesn’t come to anything in the first book but I am hopeful that there will be in the second book. The thing I didn’t like about this first book was that most of the plot progression came about in letters from the past, which I enjoyed reading but it felt like there wasn’t enough substance in the present day parts of the novel.

The Three Dahlias series by Katy Watson

This is one of my favourite cosy mystery series. It follows three generations who have played the character Dahlia Lively – Caro, Rosalind and Posy. In the first book you see the characters meet and form a team without knowing it and I love the way their characters interact with each other but keep their own distinct personalities. The mysteries are incredibly bingeable as well, twisty and well written. I can’t describe how good these books are. You get the perfect balance between plot and character.

Book Reviews

Book Review – A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson

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Happy Monday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. Today I am bringing you my review for the christmas novel in the Three Dahlias mystery series by Katy Watson.

I was so happy I managed to get a copy of this book at the beginning of December, just in time to read it as part of my Christmas TBR. It is the fourth book in the series I believe, just to say you do need to read these books in order to fully understand the story.

Blurb/Synopsis:

FIRST COMES LOVE . . . THEN COMES MURDER

A high society Christmas Eve wedding at a remote Scottish castle sounds like the perfect winter getaway for the three Dahlias and their partners – until a snowstorm hits, cutting them off from the mainland, and civilisation. Which, of course, is when the dead body of one of the other guests turns up in the snow outside the family chapel. A dead body wearing a wedding dress and a stolen diamond necklace…

The Dahlias were ready for mulled wine, roaring fires, and romance this Christmas. Now, they’re on the hunt for another murderer. And if their suspicions are right, it looks like the wedding may be off …

My Review:

I love this series of books, three brilliant female lead sleuths of all different ages. it is quite refreshing to see them working together. I have to say that one thing I was undecided in this novel if I liked it or not is that the partners of the three main characters had bigger roles in this one, which was nice to see to a certain extent because they have been largely ignored so far, however, I felt it took away from the story and there was more of an emphasis on the couples and it took away from the main mystery. It was like being pulled out of the story when these scenes happened, they felt out of place most of the time.

Saying that, this was still a solid book in the series. It was nice to see more of Libby’s character though I wanted to see her have a bit more spine and take direction of her own life more which I didn’t see but I can forgive that. I thought the mystery aspect was good, it had plenty of twists to keep you guessing but I did find the ending a little predictable, I am still going to continue the series though.

Have you read this book? What did you think of this book?

Monthly Wrap Ups

December Wrap Up!

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Happy Friday bookish people! I hope you are all having a good day today. It is time for the final wrap up of the year, and what a reading year it has been. I was struggling to find time in most of the months but since October I have been enjoying my reading again, and picking up brilliant books too.

Here is what I read in December,

From my TBR:

  • A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson – I did read this and a review is coming on the 20th December
  • Everyone this Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – I read this
  • The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose – I did read this
  • Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah – I read this
  • Murder on the Dance Floor by Helena Dixon – I also read this

Which means…. I completed my TBR this month! I only had five specific books that were christmas themed that I wanted to read and I am very happy that I got the chance to read them all this month. Not only that but I also got to read some books outside my TBR, which were:

  • Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan – review coming on the 13th December
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas – I know, I FINALLY read this book and yes, I absolutely loved it. So much so that I went and bought the complete hardback series immediately after I finished it..
  • Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody – At the time of writing this post I am currently reading this book and I will finish it before the end of December
  • Shadowscent by P M Freestone – I started this book and I have decided to soft DNF it, I still want to try it again but what I read wasn’t keeping my interest so I decided to leave it for later

So, in December I read 9 books – so far at least, as I am writing this it is the 15th December so it is likely I will read something else this month too, but right now I’m not sure what book that will be.

What did you read in December?

Monthly TBRs

December TBR!

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Happy Friday bookish people! How are you all doing today? It is December, the final month of 2024, and I am excited to get stuck into reading the christmassy books that I have, admittedly I don’t have very many but the ones I have, I plan on reading.

December for me is looking like it will be a busy month, my diary is already getting pretty full so hopefully I will still have some time to read.

What are you planning to read in December? Any special plans for Christmas?

December TBR

A Lively Midwinter Murder by Katy Watson

Everybody This Christmas Has A Secret by Benjamin Stevenson

Hercule Poirot’s Silent night by Sophie Hannah

Murder on the Dancefloor by Helena Dixon

Okay, this one isn’t exactly christmas but it is set in winter and I have been reading one a month of this series so I want to continue this.

The Mistletoe Mystery by Nita Prose