Bloggin' 'bout Books: 12/12/19

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama

- Alaska

- Arizona

- Arkansas

- ~~California~~ (1)

- Colorado

- Connecticut

- Delaware

- Florida

- Georgia

- Hawaii

- Idaho

- ~~Illinois~~ (1)

- ~~Indiana~~ (1)

- Iowa

- Kansas

- Kentucky

- Louisiana

- ~~Maine~~ (1)

- Maryland

- Massachusetts

- Michigan

- Minnesota

- Mississippi

- Missouri

- Montana

- Nebraska

- Nevada

- New Hampshire

- New Jersey

- New Mexico

- ~~New York~~ (2)

- North Carolina

- North Dakota

- Ohio

- Oklahoma

- Oregon

- Pennsylvania

- ~~Rhode Island~~ (1)

- South Carolina

- South Dakota

- Tennessee

- Texas

- Utah

- ~~Vermont~~ (1)

- ~~Virginia~~ (1)

- Washington

- West Virginia

- Wisconsin

- Wyoming

- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- England (3)

Second Nichelle Clarke Mystery Almost as Entertaining as First

7:18 AM

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

(Note: While this review will not contain spoilers for Buried Leads, it may inadvertently spoil plot surprises from its predecessor, Front Page Fatality. As always, I recommend reading books in a series in order.)

With aspirations of reporting for The Washington Post, 28-year-old journalist Nichelle Clarke is always on the hunt for career-making news stories. When a corpse wearing an Armani suit is discovered in the woods, Nichelle is the first on the scene. The dead man's identity as a high-profile lawyer and tobacco lobbyist turns the story into an even juicier tale than Nichelle first imagined. As she digs into his shady dealings, she uncovers a trail of dirty deeds. Then, another body with connections to the first is found in a dumpster. Who is offing people and why?

Determined to track down the murderer, Nichelle puts herself in the sights of a brutal killer. Despite warnings from her sexy Mafia informant and a handsome old friend, she won't stop until she uncovers the truth. Even if hers is the next designer-clad corpse to turn up in a shallow grave.

Buried Leads is the second installment in LynDee Walker's enjoyable mystery series starring the intrepid, shoe-obsessed Nichelle Clarke. I didn't like it quite as much as the first book, but this one is still fun, exciting, and engrossing. Nichelle is an entertaining narrator who's likable and funny. The fact that she always has guys swooning over her gets annoying, especially since none of them has much personality. Still, I'm enjoying this series and will definitely continue reading it.

(Readalikes: Other books in the Nichelle Clarke series, including Front Page Fatality; Small Town Spin; Devil in the Deadline; Cover Shot; Lethal Lifestyles; Deadly Politics; and Hidden Victims)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual innuendo

To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Buried Leads with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.

Wise Novel About Life After Divorce at Times Raw, Funny, and Beautiful

6:38 AM

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When Samantha Morrow's husband, David, asks for a divorce, she doesn't quite know what to do. A Tiffany's shopping spree at his expense only fills so much of the hole in her heart. Samantha's mother starts pushing eligible bachelors at the 42-year-old, but what Samantha really needs is money to support herself and her young son. Renting out the extra rooms in her home seems like an easy way to bring in some needed income. Although not all of Samantha's renters turn out to be keepers, others become not just company for the lonely woman, but dear friends. Through her interactions with them, Samantha begins the painful but necessary process of rediscovering herself and reconstructing her shattered life.

Open House by Elizabeth Berg is a wise, but approachable book about transformation and second chances. Both sad and hopeful, the story moves along quickly enough to keep the reader's interest despite being a take-your-time literary novel. The characters are a little cliché; they're also likable and relatable. Prose-wise, Open House is, in turn, raw, funny, and beautiful. I didn't love the book, but I did like it.

(Readalikes: Hm, I can't think of anything. Can you?)

Grade: