2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge
2026 52 Club Reading Challenge
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2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)
2026 Countdown Reading Challenge
Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo
2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge
2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)
2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge
European Reading Challenge 2026
2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)
2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Showing posts with label Benjamin Stevenson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Benjamin Stevenson. Show all posts
Thursday, April 30, 2026
A Quirky, Cozy, Entertaining Little Murder Mystery
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
I'm loving all the quirky, cozy-ish murder mysteries that have been popping up lately. I've read a bunch of them recently, and they just make me laugh. A Cute Little Murder by Molly Harper is no exception. It's a fun, light-hearted, Scooby-Doo kind of romp. I loved it!
The story goes a little something like this: 17-year-old Lainey Piper doesn't believe that her father's suspicious accident was accidental at all. Her doubts about what really happened, combined with her natural talent for sleuthing and an innate desire to see justice done, lead her to a reluctant collaboration with classmate Harlow Drake. The host of a web series centered on local crime, Harlow is known for taking big risks and angering the locals with her bold accusations. Lainey isn't a limelight kind of person, but she can't seem to resist getting caught up in Harlow's schemes, even when it means scaring her mother, annoying local law enforcement, and becoming a pariah in her small town.
Fifteen years later, Lainey is a work-from-home forensic accountant who lives alone with her cat. Her business isn't exactly booming, so when she receives an offer from the True Crime 24/7 network to investigate a historical cold case with Harlow (whom she hasn't spoken to since high school), she can't afford to say no. When she steps foot onto an island in the middle of Lake Michigan, spies her creepy murder hotel accomodations, and notes that her old friend is, if anything, even more self-absorbed than she used to be, Lainey begins to doubt the wisdom of accepting the offer, no matter how lucrative. It doesn't take long, though, for her to get wholly caught up in the mystery of solving a Prohibition-era disappearance as well as a much more contemporary ones. Soon, the job isn't about finding a long-ago killer or even helping an unrepentant Harlow make a comeback; it's about staying alive on a remote island, surrounded by strangers she's not sure she can trust, with no way to call for help. Even armed with her "crime-fighting Mary Poppins bag," Lainey might not be able to sleuth her way out of this one...
A Cute Little Murder combines a lot of my favorite murder mystery tropes: an isolated setting; a probably haunted house (hotel, in this case) full of tantalizing secrets; a colorful cast of characters, all with axes to grind; an absorbing treasure hunt; and a banter-y background romance. Since this is more of a cozy than a Gothic thriller, the setting isn't all that creepy, but it is atmospheric. The ratty old Crossings hotel is a character unto itself, complete with the hidden depths that make all story people more life like. Although Harlow is not one of them, her production team is full of likable characters, even including the clueless tech bros who are more oblivious than purposely offensive. Although the historical mystery Harlow and Lainey are on-location to solve really isn't the focus of the novel, it adds another layer of interest to the story. The relationship between Harlow and Lainey is the real focus of A Cute Little Murder, and it's interesting to see how the latter has evolved while the former really hasn't. I would have liked a deeper dive into Harlow's character in order to understand her better, but this isn't really that kind of story. As for the present-day murders, I did identify the killer before Lainey, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this entertaining book. It's a fun one that kept me turning pages and made me smile.
Readalikes: A Cute Little Murder has a similar style/vibe to Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery, The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter, the Ernest Cunningham series by Benjamin Stevenson, and the Vacation Mysteries series by Catherine Mack.
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder invectives), violence, crude humor, and innuendo
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of A Cute Little Murder from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 02, 2025
The Bookish Books Reading Challenge: December Book Ideas and Link-Up for Reviews
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I can't believe this is the last monthly post I'll do for the 2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge. Crazy! I hope you've had fun with this laidback challenge and will join with me to do it again in 2026. I'll make a sign-up post for that soon.
November was a good month for me and bookish books. I read these four:
Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson (available March 17, 2026)—This is the fourth book in the highly entertaining Ernest Cunningham mystery series. In this outing, our hero is in a privately-owned bank to beg for a loan for the private detective agency he wants to start. Much to his astonishment, he finds himself in the middle of a robbery with a bank full of thieves. As the tension builds, someone is murdered, and time is running out for all of the hostages. It's up to Ernest to figure out what in the world is going on.
While the novel isn't overtly bookish, Ernest is a lover of classic mysteries as well as an author who writes about the crimes he solves. All the books in this series are clever, funny, and twisty. I love them all!
The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose—In this third volume of Prose's popular mystery series starring Molly the Maid, an Antiques Roadshow-type program is taping an episode at the Regency Grand Hotel. Molly brings some of her Gran's garage sale treasures for evaluation, never expecting that one of them will be almost priceless in value. Before she knows it, the item has been stolen. The event prompts Molly to learn more about her Gran's mysterious past, which reveals new information about both Molly and her beloved grandmother.
This installment is more about Gran than it is about Molly (one of the reasons I didn't like it as much as the previous books). We learn about her from diary entries. Since the diary is a book and both Gran and Molly love to read, I think this one counts as bookish, don't you?
The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner by Erin Stewart—This middle-grade novel is about a girl who's grieving the recent loss of her adored father, who knew how to make even the most mundane moments magical. In spite of the crippling anxiety that has kept her mostly at home since his death, she ventures out to an author signing for her very favorite book series. When Zoey receives a special pencil from her favorite writer, she's inspired to write her own stories, which magically start coming to life. With this tool, she can return her life to normal. Or can she?
The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand—A Christmas Carol is one of my favorite all-time books, so I was excited to read this YA novel that's a spin-off of the classic story. Holly, a deceased teen, is a failed Scrooge who has been assigned to work for Project Scrooge as the Ghost of Christmas Past. She's burned out with the job when a hot new Scrooge candidate perks her interest way up. Before she knows it, she's falling in love with the young man she's supposed to be saving. Not only could she lose her job, but she may also lose the chance to move on in her afterlife. What's a ghost to do?
I wanted this book to be more like the original novel instead of just a teenage love story, so I was a little disappointed by it. It was just an average read for me.
How about you? What bookish books did you read in November?
I've already read one bookish book in December and am reading this middle-grade novel based on Grimm's fairy tales right now:
Grimmworld: The Big Bad Wolf by Michaelbrent Collings—Willow and Jake Grimm, descendants of the famous Grimm brothers, are Grimmwalkers, who are able to walk between the real world and the Grimmworld (where there are no happy endings). On the hunt for their missing father, they will encounter all sorts of fantastical creatures and challenges.
How about you? What bookish books do you plan to read before the end of the year?
If you are participating in the 2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge, please use the widget below to link-up your December reviews. If you're not signed up for the challenge yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to join the party.
Monday, November 03, 2025
The Bookish Books Reading Challenge: November Book Ideas and Link-Up for Reviews
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October flew by and, somehow, it's now November 3rd. Honestly, I don't know how that happened! With less than two months left in the year, 2025 is almost gone. Crazy. Anyway, I only managed to read two bookish books in October:
The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt—I talked about this middle-grade fantasy in last month's post. Its main character is very bookish. Her attic room/library is her sanctuary.
Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani—I reread this adult novel about a woman living in the titular small, Southern town, who learns that the man who raised her was not her biological father. This shocking revelation sends her on a quest to find herself that pushes her to look beyond the confines of her mundane life in rural Virginia.
Ave Maria Mulligan loves to read. Her best friend drives a bookmobile, where the two exchange heartfelt conversations, advice, and reading recommendations.
How about you? Did you read any bookish books in October?
For November, I'm going to keep working through the books I want to finish before the year ends. None of them are overtly bookish, at least not that I know of, but the one I'm reading now does have a bookish element, so I'm going to count it, even if it's not a big part of the story. I'm getting desperate here! Ha ha.
Everyone in This Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson (coming March 17, 2026)—I've got an e-ARC of this book, the third full-length novel in the always enjoyable Ernest Cunningham mystery series. (It's actually the fourth installment, but Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, the third, is a novella, albeit one that is on the longer side.) Before puzzling murders started finding Ernest, his job was penning how-to books about the craft of writing murder mysteries. Now, he's a memoirist, entertaining readers by recounting the real-life murders with which he's been involved. Thinking he might be able to make actual money as a private detective, he is trying to secure a bank loan in order to launch a business. After multiple rejections, he is summoned to an out-of-the-way bank by its co-director. To Ernest's surprise, the executive asks him to solve a mystery—the man's co-director has disappeared—in exchange for the loan. Before our hero really has the chance to start his reluctant investigation, he finds himself being held hostage by a nervous bank robber. Then someone is murdered. The bank is on lockdown, with no way in or out, so the killer can only be one of the hostages. Who did the dirty deed? And why? It's up to Ernest to find out before he or, worse, his fianceè, becomes the next victim.
This series is clever and funny. I've enjoyed all the books and, not surprisingly, I'm loving this one so far.
How about you? Do you have any bookish books on the docket for November?
If you are participating in the 2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge, please use the widget below to link-up your November reviews. If you're not signed up for the challenge yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to join the party.
Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: New-to-Me Author Discoveries in 2024
Like every other reader, I have my favorite, go-to authors whose books I always look forward to reading. I also enjoy discovering new authors to love. In fact, out of the 230 titles I read in 2024, 127 of them—almost half—were penned by new-to-me writers. That made it really easy to create a list to fit this week's Top Ten Tuesday prompt: Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024. As always, this fun weekly link-up is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024
1. Benjamin Stevenson—Everyone knows I love me a good mystery/thriller, especially when it's both clever and funny. Stevenson's Ernest Cunningham series is exactly that. You can tell just by the titles of the books—Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone; Everyone On This Train is a Suspect; and Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret—that they're hilarious. I read all three in 2024 and loved each one.. This Australian author has a couple other mystery/thriller series that I need to check out.
2. Sally Hepworth—Another Aussie, Hepworth writes absorbing domestic thrillers. I read three of them in 2024, of which The Good Sister was my favorite. I definitely plan to continue exploring Hepworth's backlist this year.
3. Raquel V. Reyes—Cozy mysteries make nice palate cleansers for me between heavier reads, so I'm always on the lookout for entertaining ones. Reyes' series starring a Cuban American food anthropologist and amateur sleuth in Miami is a fun one. I read the first two books last year and have already read #3 this year.
4. Erin Lindsey—I'm a big historical mystery fan, so I get excited when I find new series in this genre to enjoy. I discovered Lindsey's Rose Gallagher series in 2024. It stars an Irish American housemaid in Gilded Age New York City who can see ghosts. She becomes part of the Pinkerton Detective Agency's secret paranormal division, which deals with supernatural disturbances. With lots of interesting historical details, cameos by famous people of the past, and quirky characters, it's an enjoyable series. I read the first book in 2024 and the second last week.
5. Marthe Jocelyn—Speaking of historical mysteries, I found Jocelyn's Aggie Morton series last year. The series, which is aimed at middle grade readers, features a young Agatha Christie and her new friend, Hercules Poirot. The youngsters team up to do what else, but solve mysteries. I read the first installment, The Body Under the Piano, in 2024 and plan to continue the series this year.
6. Gabrielle Meyer—Meyer is a popular author of Christian and inspirational fiction. Her publisher, Bethany House, has kindly sent me all the books in her Timeless series as they have come out. It took me until last year to finally read the first installment, When the Day Comes, which I enjoyed. The book is about a woman who has the unique ability to time travel between two lives—one in Gilded Age New York City, one in 1774 Colonial Williamsburg. When she turns 21, she will have to choose which life to inhabit permanently.
7. Ying Chang Compestine—Compestine is a Chinese American food expert and writer who grew up in Wuhan, China, a city that became famous in 2020 because of the Covid outbreak there. Morning Sun in Wuhan, a middle grade novel, was one of my favorite reads of 2024 because of its authenticity and hopeful vibe. I'm interested in reading Compestine's other middle grade novels as well as her memoir, Growing Up Under a Red Flag.
8. Naomi Stephens—Although she only has a few books under her belt, this Christian historical fiction writer impressed me with The Burning of Rosemont Abbey. I hear that she is planning to write more mysteries and I am here for them!
9. Melanie Crowder—Crowder writes books for children in several different genres. I read her YA novel, An Uninterrupted View of the Sky, last year. It's set in 1999 Bolivia and concerns an Indigenous boy whose father is unfairly targeted by a corrupt government and sent to prison. Unable to cope, his mother abandons the family, leaving the boy and his younger sister no choice but to live with their father in prison. It's a beautiful novel about keeping hope alive even in the most dire circumstances. I enjoyed it, so I want to read more by Crowder.
10. Lesa Cline-Ransome—Cline-Ransome pens biographies and novels featuring important events and people in Black history. I loved One Big Open Sky, her middle-grade verse novel about Black homesteaders on the American frontier. Not only does it tell a unique story, but it's also poetic, poignant, and powerful. I'm definitely up for reading more by this author.
There you are, ten new-to-me authors I discovered in 2024. Are they new to you, too? Which writers did you find last year? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
The Bookish Books Reading Challenge: December Book Ideas and Link-Up for Reviews
So apparently, it's December. Somehow. Even though you wouldn't know it from the weather—it was 85 degrees here in the Phoenix area yesterday—Christmas is only three weeks away! I'm already way behind on holiday preparation. My tree is up but undecorated, half of my tchotchkes are on display while the other half is still in boxes, we don't have any outside lights up, and the only gifts I've purchased so far have been for myself (ha ha). Add in upcoming holiday parties and a-few-days-before-Christmas travel, and phew! I'm already exhausted.
One thing I'm not behind in is meeting my goals for the 2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge. I vowed to read 30+ bookish books and I'm currently at 42. Huzzah! How are you doing with your challenge goals?
November was an especially bookish books-y month for me. I managed to read ten of them. My favorites were the Benjamin Stevenson ones. His books are clever and funny. They make me laugh every time.
Here are my bookish November reads in the order I read them:
Sleeping Spells and Dragon Scales by Wendy S. Swore—This middle-grade novel is about two kids, one with narcolepsy and one with Type 1 diabetes. It's not really about books, but the diabetic main character loves to read. She's especially fond of fairy tales and fantasy novels.
The Legend of the Last Library by Frank L. Cole—Another MG story, this one takes place in a future where paper is a scarce and very valuable commodity. When Juni, who scavenges for any kind of scraps that will earn her money to help pay for her grandfather's medical care, discovers a real book—the first one she's ever seen—she can't wait to sell it for profit. That is until she realizes the priceless secret it contains...
The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander—In this series debut, Annie Murray cooks up the idea of hosting a mystery-themed book festival to bring in funds to save the struggling bookshop where she works. She's stunned when a group of her college classmates randomly shows up for the event and shocked when one of them winds up dead. Using all the know-how she's gained from reading mystery novels, she sets out to solve the murder.
The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare from Oblivion by Ann Bausum—This picture book, aimed at MG readers, is about exactly what it says it's about. Ha! Imagine that.
A Murder at the Movies by Ellie Alexander—The second installment in the Annie Murray series, this one has the bookseller co-hosting a film festival complete with a movie premiere. With a host of dramatic, egotistical Hollywood types in town, it's not really that much of a surprise when a murder occurs. Once again, Annie is on the case.
The Midnight Hour by Eve Chase—This mystery is about two kids who are never quite the same after their mother leaves home one day and never returns. As they deal with the fallout of their only parent's secret life, they find themselves in even more trouble. Decades later, when a new owner buys their childhood home and starts digging up the basement, one of the kids—now a romance novelist—panics, knowing that their shocking family secrets are about to be unearthed...
Everyone on This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson—After Ernest Cunningham unmasked a serial killer and wrote a popular book about it (titled Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone, naturally), he is invited to attend a mystery writers' retreat aboard a luxury train. With a variety of personalities aboard, it's not long before tempers start to simmer and boil over. When an author is found dead, it's up to Ernie to investigate. Well, technically, it's the police's job, but Ernie can't resist using his vast wisdom and experience to assist the authorities, whether they want his aid or not. (They don't.)
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson—Ernie Cunningham doesn't go seeking murders to write about, but they somehow keep finding him. In this short novel (long novella?), his ex-wife calls him after she's accused of murdering her wealthy, famous boyfriend. As Ernie pokes around in the dead man's business, he discovers that (thankfully) his ex wasn't the only one with motive, means, and opportunity.
Booked For Murder by P.J. Nelson—When her beloved aunt passes away, actress Madeline Brimley finds herself the new owner of The Old Juniper Bookstore. Although she, herself, isn't sure what to think about her inheritance, it becomes obvious that someone in town isn't happy about it. First, someone sets fire to her gazebo. Then, there are threatening phone calls. Now, there's been a murder. To clear her name, Madeline must find out whodunit.
As for December, the only bookish book I plan to read is A Daughter of Fair Verona by Christina Dodd. It's a murder mystery featuring one of Romeo and Juliet's daughters as an amateur detective. It sounds like a super fun read.
I hope you've had a good time with the Bookish Books Reading Challenge this year. I sure have! I will be hosting it again next year and I certainly hope you'll sign up to participate again. I'll make an official sign-up post soon.
If you are participating in the 2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge, please use the widget below to link-up your December reviews.
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Adult Reads of 2024
Today's TTT prompt is: Top Ten Oldest (earliest published) Books On My TBR List, but I don't have many older titles on mine, so I went rogue. Since we're getting to the end of the year (2024 has whizzed by!), I thought I'd look at my favorite reads of the year. So far, I've read 195 books. I marked about 35 of them as favorites. Because there are so many, I'm going to make two lists, actually. This week, I'll look at adult titles; next week I'll talk about children's books. (To keep things simple, I'm not going to include rereads on either list.)
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Favorite Adult Reads of 2024
- in no particular order -
1. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman—I loved this hilarious murder mystery, the first in a planned series. It's funny, energetic, engrossing, and all sorts of entertaining.
2. I Know Who You Are: How An Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter—I'm a genealogist, so these types of books always appeal to me. In it, Rae-Venter discusses how she went from digging into her own family history to taking down a notorious serial killer with her mad research and analytical skills.
3. The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose—I adored The Maid and I really enjoyed this sequel as well. It's not quite as good as its predecessor, but it's still a fun mystery starring a quirky, lovable heroine with a unique view on life. Its bookish themes make it even more appealing.
4. The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King—This is a warm, uplifting biography of a wonderful man. I enjoyed learning about his life, his career, his philosophy, and especially the kind, compassionate way he treated everyone around him. Very inspiring.
5. Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson—Another quirky murder mystery, this series opener is clever, funny, and twisty. It's also got a surprising amount of depth and poignancy.
6. Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James—Historical mysteries with gothic undertones are my jam, so I enjoyed this older novel by one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors. It's about a young woman in need of a fresh start who poses as a nurse to get a job at a remote asylum for World War I veterans dealing with shell shock. It's a strange place where eerie things happen and secrets abound...
7. Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda—After being disappointed by Miranda's last book (The Only Survivors), I was thrilled by her newest which is tense, twisty, and compelling. It's about a woman who returns to her hometown when she inherits her childhood home after her father's death. A drought has dried up the area, exposing secrets about the town and her family that refuse to stay hidden.
8. A Stranger in the Family by Jane Casey—I love the Maeve Kerrigan series, which just keeps getting better. This newest book is the 11th in the series. It has DS Kerrigan and her partner (and almost lover) DI Josh Derwent investigating the murders of a couple whose young daughter disappeared from her bedroom sixteen years ago. Are the two cases linked? As the duo work the case, they're also forced to confront their complicated feelings for one another.
9. Homecoming by Kate Morton—Morton is one of my favorite all-time authors, so it's no surprise that her newest is one of my favorite reads of the year (although I actually didn't love her last book, The Clockmaker's Daughter). This one features a London journalist who returns to her native Australia after her beloved grandmother falls down her attic steps. The tumble leaves the elderly woman confused. Her granddaughter is likewise puzzled. What was her frail grandmother doing in the forbidden attic? When the reporter discovers a true crime book in her grandmother's bedroom, it leads her on a journey into the depths of her own family history.
10. Disturbing the Dead by Kelley Armstrong—Armstrong writes some great mystery/thriller books. I especially enjoy her Rip Through Time series, which stars Mallory Atkinson, a modern-day homicide detective who wakes up in Victorian Edinburgh after she is assaulted in her own time. Although she remembers everything about herself, Mallory is now inhabiting the body of a scrappy young housemaid who works in the home of a handsome surgeon who moonlights as a medical examiner. While Mallory tries to figure out how to get home, she can't keep herself from using her knowledge and expertise to help her employer solve the murder cases that come into his home. By this third book, Dr. Gray knows who Mallory really is. Together, they look into a murder that occurred during the unwrapping of an ancient Egyptian mummy.
There you go, ten of my favorite books of 2024. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What are the books you've most enjoyed this year? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on yours. I also try to reply to comments left here (although I'm failing miserably at the moment).
Happy TTT!
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Ships and Motorcycles)
I'm a little late to the party, but I didn't want to miss my favorite weekly meme. The prompt du jour is: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles/Books Featuring Travel. Other than a bunch of books about the Titanic, I don't have a lot of these types of reads on my TBR list, but I managed to scrounge up ten that have modes of transportation represented on the cover (even if the books aren't necessarily about traveling).
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Books on My TBR List With Modes of Transportation on the Cover
1. The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin—This MG historical novel is about a puzzle-loving brother and sister duo who become code breakers in England during World War II.
2. Orphans of the Storm by Celia Imrie—Three passengers board the Titanic with different struggles and secrets. Their lives converge as the ship embarks on its doomed voyage, changing all of their fates.
3. Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson—I loved the first book in this Australian mystery series, so I'm looking forward to #2. This time, our hero is traveling by train to Adelaide to attend a conference for mystery writers. When one of the passengers is killed en route, it's up to Ernest to figure out which of the authors on the train took their killing off the page and into real life.
4. Flight 171 by Amy Christine Parker—In this YA horror novel, Devon, a high school senior who's haunted by the recent murder of her sister, boards a plane that will whisk her and her classmates off on a class skiing trip. Their journey goes horribly awry when a terrifying supernatural creature appears, demanding the kids chose a passenger to sacrifice. When the being starts revealing everyone's darkest secrets, including that one of them murdered Devon's sister, the already devastating situation gets much, much worse.
5. The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish—Desperate to avoid the crowding and claustrophobia of commuting to his London job via the Tube, Jamie begins taking a riverboat to work. Pleased to find camaraderie and friendship among his fellow passengers, he's dismayed when one of them goes missing. He's even more troubled when the police question him about an argument he had with the vanished man. What happened to Kit? Did Jamie do more than just argue with him?
6. All the Lost Places by Amanda Dykes—Set in Venice, this historical novel is about a baby who is discovered floating down the canals in a basket. Decades later, a book translator starts investigating the mystery.
7. A Wealth of Deception by Trish Esden—This is the second installment in a cozy mystery series starring Edie Brown, an art and antiques dealer. When she comes across a disturbing collage created by a reclusive and mysterious artist, Edie finds herself embroiled in a mystery involving a dangerous art underground where some people would kill to protect themselves and their secrets.
8. Sisters of Fortune by Anna Lee Huber—Based on a real family, this novel features the three Fortune sisters—Alice, Flora, and Mabel—who are returning from their Grand Tour of Europe aboard the most famous ship ever built. Little do they know what awaits them aboard the ill-fated Titanic.
9. Of Manners and Murder by Anastasia Hastings—Violet's aunt is London's most popular advice columnist. When the older woman flits off with her newest lover, Violet is left holding her pen. The first letter she opens is from a lady who fears for her life. When Violet runs to her rescue, she discovers the woman is dead. Who killed her? It's up to Violet to find out.
10. A Lovely Lie by Jaime Lynn Hendricks—Twenty-two years ago, Scarlet and Pepper were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. They lied to the police about what happened. Now, Pepper is also dead and her daughter, a budding investigative journalist, has come to Scarlet for answers. Scarlet's comfortable life will be shattered if the truth comes out. How can she stop her friend's daughter from destroying everything?
There you go, ten books on my TBR list with covers that feature modes of transportation. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite books featuring transportation/travel? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
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