Thread on Arrival

by Lea Wait

What makes you pick the next installment of a series?  A continued plotline, the characters, the author?   I find myself going with the last two more and more.  Characters and settings that familiar to me are just as good as comfort food.  Things have been a little tough around my house lately and discovering a new installment of Wait’s Mainely Needlepoint series was like a bowl of mac n’ cheese for me.  Though she addresses tough issues she does it without bashing you over the head with them.  Her books are just a good, satisfying read.  I’ve enjoyed them all and this one doesn’t disappoint.

Ike Hamilton isn’t homeless, but he is living below the poverty level and collects the town’s bottles and cans for cash.  The Haven Harbor Chamber of Commerce see him as an eyesore and not the face they want the tourist to see when they come to town.  When Ike is murdered, some feel it was a petty crime and want to take the quick solution.  Angie wants justice for Ike and for the young man who is being accused.  Little does she know she is about to open many eyes to what is really going on behind the closed doors of Haven Harbor. 

I wish to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to the Advanced Reader Copy for my honest review.

PUB:  Kensington Books

PUB DATE:  April 30, 2019

ISBN:  9781496716736

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

The Pandora Room

by Christopher Golden

“Weird shit” indeed!  Christopher Golden is an artist at using mythology and ancient history to bring current and contemporary issues to the forefront without browbeating us with the politics. His characters are realistic and easy to get to know and get comfortable around.  All have flaws or issues they are dealing with but Golden doesn’t drag the story down making them maudlin with them.  As the story comes to its climax, a few dwell on their past decisions, but wouldn’t we all? What Sophie Durand and her team find in the mountains of northern Iraq will use those issues against them.  It’s a wonderous discovery that could give authenticity to the mythological story of Pandora’s box.  As wonderful as this discovery is, a special team of scientist and operatives are dispatched to protect the dig only to find themselves trapped within the subterranean dwelling with an ancient horror determined to unravel their sanity and an all too real battle being fought above them by jihadis who are willing to do anything to get their hands on the find.  Man has been warned over thousands of years about the evils contained within Pandora’s box.  Will the arrogance of modern man be their downfall?  Pick up this one and be prepared to lock-in and join in the battle for human kind.  Golden never fails to deliver on the ‘weird shit.’  ‘Weird shit’ indeed!!!

I wish to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to the Advanced Reader Copy for my honest review.

PUB:  St. Martin’s Press

PUB DATE:  April 23, 2019

ISBN:  9781250192103

GENRE:  Horror, Suspense, Thriller

Lost History of Dreams

by Kris Waldherr

Robert Highstead is tasked with the grim journey that will fulfill the last request of his, previously unknown, cousin.   Upon his arrival, Highstead is enfolded into a house filled with the redolence of grief, resentment and neglect.  As he attempts to complete the wishes of his cousin, he will be forced to face the ghost of lost love, his and those that walk the halls of Weald House.

For fans of dark gothic tales rich in yearning romance within a haunted home on the Shopshire moors will relish Walkherr’s novel.  Each chapter leads you on a different path and will keep you hooked until the end.  The pages are filled with ghosts of memories real and imagined.  It’s up to you to decide which is which.  Wrap yourself in a blanket with a warm beverage and allow yourself the day to walk the cold, damp moors to figure it out.  Teens who are fans of the Brontes, Dickens or even Victoria Holt or Phyllis Whitney will gladly disappear within the pages of this novel.

I wish to thank the publisher for providing an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this novel for my honest review.

PUB:  Touchston/Simon & Schuster

PUB DATE:  April 9, 2019

ISBN:  9781982101015

GENRE:  Historical Fiction/Romance/Gothic Fiction

The Ghost Manuscript

by Kris Frieswick

I look for books that hit all my favorites.  A little mystery, old books, libraries, ancient myths, and an adventure.  The Ghost Manuscript hit all of these.  Frieswick even throws a little romance into the mix.  I envy Ms. Carys Jones.  She has the perfect job.  She authenticates Dark Age texts for potential buyers and reads ancient Latin like it’s her native tongue.  When she is given the task of verifying a library inventory for one of her favorite clients, it’s a tough assignment.  As she works her way through the shelves, she uncovers a secret that could change the path of history. She begins to question the validity of what she is reading and she wonders if this is what put her client in a psychiatric hospital.   Carys rapidly learns the truth and the dangers in this revelation.  She’s not sure how she should progress with her information but she soon finds a guide to assist her on a quest that will take her to Wales and back to her own backyard. 

This was a very entertaining novel and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.  The overall quest was a great surprise for me but didn’t change my mind as I continued reading.  I highly suggest this one for readers of Dan Brown, even Clive Cussler though this doesn’t have all the toys available to Dirk Pitt.  This is pure enjoyment reading at its best.  It’s a great one for teens who enjoy their pages filled with great suspense with a little romance thrown in for good measure.  Good reading~

I wish to thank the publisher and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy for my honest review.

PUB:  Post Hill Press

PUB DATE:  April 2, 2019

ISBN:  9781642930245

Genre:  Adventure, Myths, Legends, Mystery, History,