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2026 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


27 / 30 books. 90% done!

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2026 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


39 / 50 books. 78% done!

2026 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama
- Alaska (1)
- Arizona
- Arkansas (1)
- California (7)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (2)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (1)
- Kansas
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (4)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (4)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio (3)
- Oklahoma
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee
- Texas (3)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (2)
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*

International:

- Australia (6)
- Austria (1)
- Canada (2)
- England (21)
- Fiji (1)
- France (1)
- Ireland (2)
- Italy (1)
- Mexico (1)
- New Zealand (1)
- Norway (1)
- Scotland (1)
- The Bahamas (1)
- Vatican City (1)

My Progress:


34 / 51 states. 67% done!

2026 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 25 books. 96% done!

2026 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge

My Progress:


29 / 50 books. 58% done!

Booklist Queen's 2026 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


38 / 52 books. 73% done!

2026 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


34 / 52 books. 65% done!

2026 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


22 / 40 books. 55% done!

2026 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


24 / 51 books. 47% done!

2026 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge

2026 Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


19 / 25 books. 76% done!

2026 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


44 / 52 books. 85% done!

Shelf Reflection Candy Reading Challenge for Kids (and Adults)

My Progress:


54 / 65 books. 83% done!

2026 Countdown Reading Challenge

My Progress:


55 / 55 books. 100% done!

2026 Series Reading Challenge


23 / 36 books. 64% done!

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

Dragon Rambles' Law of Fives Bingo

My Progress:


70 / 125 books. 56% done!

2026 Southern Literary Reading Challenge

My Progress:


9 / 9 books. 100% done!

2026 Reading Challenge (by Linz the Bookworm)

My Progress:


36 / 60 books. 60% done!

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

2026 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge

My Progress:


10 / 40 books. 25% done!

European Reading Challenge 2026

My Progress:


7 / 50 books. 14% done!

2017 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge (retired challenge - doing old boards for fun)

My Progress:


67 / 125 books. 54% done!

2026 Reading Challenge Addict Reading Challenge

My Progress:


4 / 5 challenges. 80% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 100 names. 98% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

My Progress:


76 / 80 skills. 95% done!
Showing posts with label Erin Lindsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erin Lindsey. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: I'm My Own Santa Claus (Or, the Last Ten Books I Gifted to Myself)

I love Christmastime—the lights, the carols, the food, the traditions, the generosity and goodwill in the air, just all of it. Even though it can be stressful to make all the magic happen for my family, this is still my favorite time of year. In spite of all the chaos in the world, I hope you're able to feel the joy of the season and take comfort in the goodness that still exists out there. I don't talk about my religion on here much, but I have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ as my Savior and Redeemer. Each nativity scene I see displayed reminds me of the gift of His birth, the example of His life, and the tremendous sacrifice He made to redeem us all. Throughout my life, I have felt the presence and love of my Heavenly Father and His Son and I will be forever grateful for that. For those of you who celebrate the holiday, Merry Christmas! For my Jewish friends, Happy Hanukkah!  I hope we are all able to enjoy time together with our friends and loved ones this holiday season and that we can be both the recipients and the givers of cheer and love. 


Since I won't be back on TTT until mid-January, after my Holy Land trip, I also want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Thank you for sticking with me for another year. I truly appreciate everyone who drops in here at BBB and all who make the book blogosphere a wonderful place to hang out. Here's to more great reads and bookish fun in 2026.

Oh, and remember that if your holiday isn't turning out to be so merry and bright, we always have books to provide us with comfort, companionship, entertainment, and joy!

Speaking of books...let's get on with Top Ten Tuesday (hosted, as always, by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl). The topic du jour is Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings/Bookish Wishes. For this annual prompt, we're encouraged to post our Amazon book wishlists; visitors to your blog can then grant wishes by buying you books, if they choose. I've always been uncomfortable with this prompt, so I'm going to twist the topic a tad and talk about the last ten books I have gifted myself. (Who needs Santa, anyhow?)

The Last Ten Books I Gifted to Myself 


1. Pearls and Poison by Erin Lindsey—I talked about this book in my last TTT post. It's the fourth installment in a Gilded Age mystery series starring a former New York City housemaid who becomes involved with a special branch of the Pinkerton Detective Agency that investigates paranormal mysteries. Now a Pinkerton agent in her own right and with Thomas Wiltshire (her mentor and object of affection) away in California, Rose Gallagher is on her own to investigate a series of strange deaths as well as some missing jewels. 

This is a fun series, and I've enjoyed all the books, which I've been able to find at my local libraries. Unfortunately, they do not carry Pearls and Poison, so I bought the e-book from Amazon. I started it today and I'm already hooked! 


2. The Busybody Book Club by Freya Sampson—My local indie, Changing Hands, offers a $10 discount during your birthday month, so I always go in December. This mystery novel looks fun, so I grabbed it. It's about Nora Davies, a newcomer to Cornwall who starts a book club at her local community center. So far, it's been a huge disaster, with attendees disagreeing over everything. When one of the members disappears and a dead body is found at his home, the remaining book clubbers must come together to figure out what happened to their missing member.


3. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt—This book got so much buzz when it came out, that I immediately bought a copy of it in hardcover. It has been gathering dust on my shelf ever since! Then, a blogger (I can't remember who, unfortunately) mentioned how good the audio version is. When I got a new Audible credit in December, I cashed it in right away. The story is about several lonely souls whose lives converge in surprising ways. It really is a lovely book, one I really enjoyed, and the audiobook narrators truly are wonderful. 


4. Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp—I couldn't find this historical novel at my library, so I bought it with Audible credits as well. The story is about a man who returns home to Arkansas after serving in World War II. After the horrors he experienced in the Pacific Theater, he's hoping to find peace and solace in his beloved hills. When he starts noticing strange things happening on his property, he's sure something sinister is going on. Considering the shell-shocked behavior he's been displaying ever since his return, no one believes the dismayed veteran. What's really going on? He's determined to find out.


5. The Dead Come to Stay by Brandy Schillace—Another pick from my Changing Hands shopping spree, I just realized this is actually the second book in a series. Oops! I'll have to read The Framed Women of Ardemore House first, then move on to this sequel. The series stars an "amateur autistic sleuth" working in North Yorkshire. Sounds promising!


6. Upgrade by Blake Crouch—I've enjoyed a number of books by Crouch, but I hadn't read this one yet so I grabbed it while I was at Changing Hands. It concerns Logan Ramsey, a man whose genome has been hacked, giving him some enhanced abilities. Of course, he's been "upgraded" for a reason, just as the rest of humanity will be if Logan doesn't stop it from happening. And fast.


7. James by Percival Everett—Everyone's raving about this historical novel that tells the story of Jim, the escaped slave who accompanies Huckleberry Finn on his grand adventure. I haven't read the book yet; hopefully, I'll get to it soon.


8. The Land of Sweet Forever by Harper LeeTo Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book of all time, so naturally, I had to buy this newly-released volume of essays and stories by the iconic TKAM author.


9. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus—In order to fulfill a prompt for my 2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge, I need to read a book with a tv or movie screen on the cover. This novel qualifies and I've been curious about it ever since it came out, so I snatched up a copy when I saw it at Changing Hands.


10. Murder Buys a T-shirt by Christy Fifield—This is the first book in a cozy mystery series that features a Florida souvenir shop that is haunted by its deceased former owner via his pet parrot. When a local football star dies, the bird has a lot to say to its new owner. Can she trust a chatty pet to help her find out what really happened to the teenager? 

I bought a copy of this book because I couldn't find it in my local libraries. It was okay. Not very original, although I did like the crime-solving bird approach. That's unique and fun.

There you go, the last ten books I bought for myself. Have you read any of them? What did you think? 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!
 

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday Wednesday: Winter TBR List


The closer it gets to Christmas and to my family's departure for our Holy Land trip on December 26, the crazier life becomes! So much to do, so little time. BUT, I didn't want to miss participating in Top Ten Tuesday this week, so here I am. (I started this post yesterday, but finished today, so I'm actually a day late. Oops!) This week's topic is Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR list. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm going to be reading this season, but I've come up with ten possibilities to share with you. 

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.



Also, be sure to scroll down on my blog and check out my posts about the two reading challenges I'm hosting this year: the Bookish Books Reading Challenge and the Cover Lovers Reading Challenge. They're both laidback and fun. Please consider joining me on these reading adventures! 

Top Ten Books On My Winter TBR


1. The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss (available April 7, 2026)—I have an e-ARC of this forthcoming YA murder mystery that takes place during the filming of an escape room-themed game show. Contestants on the newest season include the sister of a contestant who died during the last season and she's not just out to win, she wants justice. Sounds intriguing!


2. Pearls and Poison by Erin Lindsey—This is the fourth installment in the always entertaining Rose Gallagher series. Rose is a former housemaid who works with a team of investigators with special abilities to solve mysteries of the supernatural kind in Gilded Age New York City. Now a legit Pinkerton agent, Rose is on her own to investigate a case of missing jewels and a mysterious murder.


3. Atomic Habits by James Clear—I reread this inspirational book every January to motivate myself to set and achieve personal goals. 


4. Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson—On a visit to my local indie bookstore, Changing Hands, yesterday, I picked up this mystery novel. It's about two warring, cantankerous residents of a dilapidated apartment building. When they're informed their home will be demolished and another resident is subsequently being harrassed, the two join forces to find out who is behind the attacks and save their home.


5. The Dark Library by Mary Anna Evans—Estella Ecker never intended to return to Rockfall House, but now that her father has died and her mother has disappeared, she feels she has little choice. As Estella begins unearthing Rockfall's secrets, she discovers shocking truths that throw into question everything she thought she knew about her parents and herself.

6. Coach by Jason Reynolds—I have really enjoyed Reynolds' middle-grade series about an inner-city track team. Each novel is told from the perspective of a different member of the group. As indicated by this book's title, it is the story of the team's leader, Coach. 

If you decide to give this series a go (and you really should), try it on audio. Actor and singer Guy Lockard, who is a close personal friend of Reynolds, does an excellent job narrating the books.


7. We Are All Guilty Here by Karin Slaughter—This is the first book in a new mystery series. It's about a small, close-knit town that is rocked to its core when two local teenage girls disappear. As the police investigate, it soon becomes clear that they were both hiding terrible secrets. Did those secrets lead to their deaths? I've never read anything by Slaughter, so I'm excited to check her out.


8. An American in Scotland by Lucy Connelly—In this series opener, an American medical doctor trades in her chaotic existence in Seattle for the quiet life of a country doctor in a quaint Scottish town. She gets more than she bargains for when she discovers a dead body—and then finds out that in addition to being the town's doctor, she's also its coroner! Determined to find out what happened to the victim, she begins digging into the town's secrets, stirring up all kinds of trouble among its residents.


9. The Star Society by Gabriella Saab (available January 6, 2026)—After fighting the Nazis with the Dutch Resistance during World War II, Ada Worthington-Fox fled to the United States and has reinvented herself as a rising Hollywood starlet. When the sister she thought was dead turns up in California, Ada fears all the secrets from her past will be exposed, especially as it becomes clear that her sister has her own secrets and a mission that could destroy the new life Ada has worked so hard to build for herself. 


10. Bluebird by Sharon Cameron—Like #9, this YA historical novel deals with World War II refugees grappling with the aftermath of the atrocities of war. Eva, who knows the truth behind Project Bluebird, a monstrous experiment conducted in the concentration camps, has come to the United States seeking one thing: justice. She will stop at nothing to hunt down the Nazi behind it all. 

I've already read—and loved—Bluebird, but my book club just chose it as our January pick, so I'm going to reread it sometime in the next month. 

How about you? What's on your Winter TBR? 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 (on a Wednesday)!

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday: Ghost Stories On My (Frightfully Long) TBR List

It's been a hot minute since I participated in my favorite weekly blogging activity, and I've missed it. I've missed interacting with all of you, especially. Life has gotten a little crazy for me this month, but it's mostly been good things, so I'll take it! With Halloween on Friday, it's no surprise that this week's TTT prompt is: Top Ten Halloween Freebie. I've said before that I'm not a big fan of this holiday. Dressing up has just never appealed to me. Ditto for being scared out of my wits. No thanks. I used to dig horror movies and books, but these days, I'm too big of a wimp for anything too frightening. Atmospheric and a little spooky? That I can do. So, today, I'm going to list ghost stories on my TBR list that are (hopefully) just the right amount of creepy without being outright terrifying.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Ghost Stories On My (Frightfully Long) TBR List


1. A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James (available January 20, 2026)—St. James is one of my favorite authors for this kind of read. I started an e-ARC of her newest novel last night, and it's already tingling my spine quite thoroughly. It's about three adult siblings, all of whom experience paranormal visions of some kind or another, who are called back to their haunted ancestral home by the spirit of their younger brother, who disappeared when he was a child. Desperate for the answers that might finally allow them all to live in peace, the trio reunite to face the horrors of their shared past.


2. The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller—After causing a scandal on two continents by leaving her abusive husband, Alva Webster is now a widow with the freedom to do as she pleases. What she wants is a fresh start, which includes renovating a neglected Hyde Park mansion. Unfortunately, the old pile is haunted and only one man—an eccentric scandal-maker in his own right—can rid it of its resident ghost. Alva has no choice but to let him into her home, her history, and, perhaps, even into her heart.


3. Murder at Blackwood Inn by Penny WarnerThe first installment in a new cozy mystery series, this book features Carissa Blackwood, a ghostwriter whose life is rapidly falling apart. Needing a fresh start, she moves into the haunted home of her deceased grandfather, which her two occult-loving aunts have turned into a B&B. When a guest is poisoned, seemingly by an herb from her aunt's poison garden, Carissa finds herself investigating a murder. With the aid of a handsome reporter and her grandpa's ghost, Carissa is determined to find the killer.


4. The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand—When a deadly fire blazed through it, killing a young chambermaid, the titular hotel, once a glittering Golden Age gem, crumbled into a budget motel, then a ruined eyesore. An English billionaire is pouring massive money into restoring it to its former glory, in spite of staffing drama and the antics of the chambermaid's ghost. 


5. Pearls and Poison by Erin Lindsey (available December 2, 2025)—This is the fourth installment in the always entertaining Rose Gallagher mystery series. It's about a housemaid turned paranormal investigator in Gilded Age New York City. In this outing, Rose is on her own to recover stolen jewels and solve a murder. Meanwhile, her closest friends and family members are being threatened. Can she succeed in spite of everything standing in her way?


6. The Last Resort by Erin Estrada Kelly—In this middle-grade novel, 12-year-old Lila gets into a car accident on the way to her grandpa's funeral in Ohio. She's fine, except that now she can see ghosts. Her grandpa uses her new ability to inform her that he was murdered and he wants Lila to find out whodunit. He suspects the killer wanted access to his old Victorian home, which is not just a mansion-turned-inn, but a portal between the lands of the living and the dead. 


7. When We Spoke to the Dead: How Ghosts Gave American Women Their Voice by Ilise S. Carter—The Spiritualist movement swept through the Victorian world, capturing everyone from nobodies to noblewomen in its wake. This non-fiction book explores how the movement helped women who lived in a repressed society find their voices and their power. Sounds fascinating!


8. The Devil and Mrs. Davenport by Paulette Kennedy—Pete and Loretta Davenport live a picture perfect, God-fearing life in 1955 Missouri. Then, a girl is murdered in their hometown. When Loretta begins receiving messages from the Beyond, Pete blames them on her overactive imagination. She finds support from a male parapsychologist, even as her husband becomes more incensed, believing she's been possessed by a devil. Torn between a strange new purpose and her husband's demand for conformity, Loretta must decide who she really is and what she really wants.


9. A Grave Gift by Christy Carlyle (available December 23, 2025—In this first book of a new historical mystery series, Electra Poole quietly plies her trade as a psychic in Spiritualist-obsessed London. When she's summoned by a noblewoman, Electra foresees the woman's impending death but chooses to say nothing. Her client's subsequent murder fills the psychic with so much guilt that she seeks the help of a Scotland Yard policeman to help her find the woman's killer. As the pair edge ever closer to the truth, Electra finds her own life in peril.


10. The Spite House by Johnny Compton—This horror novel might be a little too terrifying for me, but the premise is intriguing. Fleeing his past with his two daughters in tow, Eric Ross is desperate to find a safe place to land. Without any references, his job prospects are few. When he sees an ad seeking a caretaker for a supposedly haunted house, he's intrigued. If he can prove to the owner that the home is indeed bespirited (without going crazy in the process), he'll receive a large paycheck and maybe, just maybe, answers to some big questions about the strange power that seems to cling to his family.

There you go, ten ghostly tales that are haunting my TBR list. Have you read any of them? What other spooky (but not super scary) ghost stories would you recommend? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT and Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Top Ten Tuesday (On a Wednesday): History + Mystery = A Delightful Combination


I've been MIA for a few weeks and I've missed participating in my favorite meme! I'm a little bit late to the party, but, hey, better late than never, right? This week's prompt is: Top Ten Books Guaranteed to End Your Reading Slump. I've read voraciously since I was a kindergartner without ever experiencing a slump, so this topic isn't really relevant to me. Last week's was a Genre Freebie; I'm going to go that route this week instead. Freebies can be tough sometimes, but I decided to highlight a genre I love—historical mysteries—and chat about some of my favorite mystery series set in the past. This list should give you a good idea of the kind of historical mysteries I love. If you've got any suggestions for similar reads, please hit me with your best recs!

Edited to add: I didn't realize until I'd practically finished writing this post that I'd basically already written the same one two years ago. It did seem a *wee* bit familiar. Ha ha. At least I'm consistent?

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Ten Historical Mystery Series I Am Loving Right Now
 


1. A Rip Through Time by Kelley Armstrong—While on a visit to Edinburgh, a modern-day homicide detective is flung back in time to 1869, where she wakes up in the body of an uneducated chambermaid. As she tries to figure out what happened to her and how to get home, she subtley tries to help her boss—an undertaker who moonlights as a medical examiner—solve murders while keeping her real identity hidden. 

Setting: Victorian Scotland, mostly Edinburgh
Books in series so far: 4
Books I've read: 4
Series opener: A Rip Through Time


2. Myrtle Hardcastle by Elizabeth C. Bunce—With the aid of her governess, a 12-year-old uses her keen observation skills to solve murders and other mysteries in her small English town. 

Setting: Victorian England, 1890s
Books in series so far:
Books I've read: 5
Series opener: Premeditated Myrtle


3. Gilded Newport Mysteries by Alyssa Maxwell—Emma Cross is the poor relative of a Vanderbilt, which gives the 21-year-old gossip columnist access to both Newport's well-heeled and its downtrodden. Trying to prove herself as a serious journalist, she uses her unique social position to investigate crimes among both the upper and lower classes.

Setting: Newport, Rhode Island, U.S.A., 1890s
Books in series so far: 13
Books I've read: 5
Series opener: Murder at the Breakers


4. Veronica Speedwell by Deanna Raybourn—Veronica, a plucky, independent lepidopterist, is pursuing a scientific inquiry when someone has the audacity to try to abduct her. An enigmatic German baron comes to her rescue and puts her under the protection of a gruff and mysterious gentleman. A natural historian, Stoker becomes her partner in cataloging the baron's massive collection of artifacts. The duo soon become known for their skill in sleuthing.

Setting: Victorian England, 1880s
Books in series so far: 10
Books I've read: 6
Series opener: A Curious Beginning


5. Below Stairs Mysteries by Jennifer Ashley—One of the most sought after cooks in London, Kat Holloway accepts a position at the luxurious Mayfair home of a respected, but eccentric family. Odd things are always happening in and around the household, causing Kat to become not just a chef but also an amateur sleuth.

Setting: Victorian London, England
Books in series so far: 8
Books I've read: 3
Series opener: Death Below Stairs


6. Rose Gallagher by Erin Lindsey—Raised in New York City's gritty Five Points neighborhood, Rose Gallagher is content to spend her days in a fine Fifth Avenue brownstone, even if she's just scrubbing its floors and polishing its mirrors. When her kindly employer goes missing, however, she launches her own investigation into his disappearance. As she sticks her nose in where it definitely doesn't belong, she discovers that her workplace and, indeed, the larger world is inhabited by people Gifted with supernatural powers. Her newfound knowledge earns her an elevated place in the household as an assistant to her employer as he and his colleagues sort mysteries, both earthly and otherworldly.

Setting: Gilded Age America, primarily New York City, New York
Books in series so far: 4 (the newest comes out in December)
Books  I've read: 3
Series opener: Death on Millionaires' Row


7. Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer —Just as smart and observant as her older brother, Sherlock, Enola can't stand to miss out on all the fun of solving mysteries so she, too, uses her particular skills to detect and deduce her way to success.

Setting: Victorian England
Books in series so far: 9
Books I've read: 1
Series opener: The Case of the Missing Marquess


8. Kinship by Jess Montgomery—After her husband is killed in the line of duty, Lily Ross takes his place as sheriff of Kinship, Ohio. The widow has her work cut out for her fighting not just sexism, but also the corruption, greed, and crime that define life in the hardscrabble world of 20th Century Appalachia. 

Setting: Ohio, U.S.A., 1920s
Books in series so far: 4
Books I've read: 4
Series opener: The Widows


9. Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters—A wealthy English spinster, our archaeologist heroine loves spending her time in Egypt, where wonders and mysteries always abound.

Setting: Egypt, 1880s-1920s
Books in series: 20
Books I've read:
Series opener: Crocodile on the Sandbank


10. The Agency by Y.S. Lee—In this YA series, 17-year-old Mary Quinn is rescued from the gallows by a woman posing as a prison guard. Really, the imposter represents a secret school that trains female private investigators. As an "agent," Mary goes undercover to investigate nefarious activity and help solve crimes.

Setting: Victorian London, England
Books in series: 4
Books I've read: 3
Series opener: A Spy in the House

Wow, I somehow didn't realize that my favorite historical mystery series were so similar in setting and time period. I need to branch out a little bit! If you're familiar with these series, you can see that I like my historical mysteries peppered with strong heroines, humor, and clever writing. Which others would you recommend? Which historical mysteries/series are your favorite? I would truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT (on a Wednesday)!

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 Skyher 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!

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Beach Thriller by Jamie Day

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Hidden Rooms by Kate Michaelson



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2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge

2026 Reading Challenge

2026 Reading Challenge
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2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2023 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2022 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction