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.

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: 5 

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

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: 2 

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.

The majority of the books I read are not set in the here and now, so today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is right up my alley: Top Ten Books Set in Another Time (can be historical, futuristic, alternate timelines, etc.). Since historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, I'm going to stick with that, but to jive a little more on the time theme, I'm going to focus on historical novels I'm looking forward to reading that are coming out in the (near) future. I'll try to highlight titles I haven't mentioned here before.

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

1. The Artist of Blackberry Grange by Paulette Kennedy (coming May 1, 2025)—Set in 1925 in the Ozarks, this novel concerns Sadie Halloran, a grieving young woman in need of a new start. When she learns that her aunt—an artist who lives in a mansion on an Arkansas bluff—is in need of a live-in companion, she jumps at the opportunity. She's soon ensconced in an eerie, decaying house with her dementia-laden aunt who paints terrifying portraits and hints about dark family secrets. Is there any truth behind her aunt's mutterings? Sadie aims to find out...

2. Death at a Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong (coming May 20, 2025)—The Rip Through Time historical mystery series is one of my all-time favorites. It's about a homicide detective who is assaulted while visiting her dying grandmother in Edinburgh, Scotland. When Mallory awakens, she discovers she's still in the city, but it's now 1869 and she's inhabiting the body of a saucy young housemaid. Her boss, Dr. Duncan Gray, is a physician who moonlights as a medical examiner. As Mallory tries to figure out how to get herself home, she can't help but try to help Dr. Gray solve the cases of violent death that show up in his morgue, even if it means blowing her cover. Eventually, she tells him the truth and is able to aid him more openly.

In Death at a Highland Wedding, the fourth book in the series, Mallory and Duncan travel to the Highlands to attend an acquaintance's nuptials. While exploring the grounds of the groom's ancestral castle, they come across a wildcat caught in one of the groom's traps. The animal's wounds don't match its apparent cause of death, however, which puzzles Mallory and Duncan. When a murder occurs at the wedding, they find themselves investigating a strange and mysterious case.

3. Smoke on the Wind by Kelli Estes (coming June 24, 2025)—Also set in the Scottish Highlands, this novel is about two mothers traveling the West Highland Way with their sons, 200+ years apart. When Keaka Denney starts having strange visions of a woman from the past who's in dire need of help, it leads to an odd, logic-defying encounter that just might save both women. 

4. Wayward Girls by Susan Wiggs (coming July 15, 2025)—Based on a true story, Wiggs' newest concerns a group of young women who are inmates at a Catholic reform school in 1968. They've been brought there for various reasons—fighting, unwed pregnancy, same-sex attraction, protection, etc—and now must figure out how to survive their sentences without going mad. 

That's all the plot I can find for this one. The story sounds interesting but depressing, although the publisher's blurb promises that it's "life-affirming." I hope so! 

5. The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman (coming July 29, 2025)—I don't always love Wiseman's books, but this one sounds too intriguing to miss. It's set in 1930s rural Virginia, against the backdrop of the eugenics movement in the United States which led to the forced sterilization of thousands of people because of their race, lack of education, poverty, disability, etc. Lena Conti, an unwed mother with a 2-year-old daughter, is left alone at Ellis Island when the rest of her family is sent back to Germany. A relative of the family, a widower with young children, agrees to house Lena in exchange for housework and childminding. As she adjusts to her new life in the Blue Ridge Mountains, she realizes that people in this tight-knit community are deathly afraid of the government, which is trying to paint them all as too backward and ignorant to have children and land. When Lena's worst fears are realized and she finds herself torn away from her daughter, she resolves to do anything she has to to get her back. 

6. Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright (coming August 1, 2025)—When something terrible happens, shattering Kathleen McDaniel's hopes for a privileged, peaceful life in New York, she runs as far and as fast as she can. She finds a home on Galveston Island, Texas, where she works at an orphanage helping the nuns care for the children. When her past comes callling at the same time the infamous 1900 hurricane starts brewing, Kathleen must find some way to survive everyting that is coming for her.

7. The Moonshine Women by Michelle Collins Anderson (coming August 26, 2025)—Prohibition may be in full force, but in the Missouri Ozarks, the Strong family does what it always has—makes moonshine. With their father drowning his grief over their mother's death in his own product, it's up to the three Strong sisters to keep the business running. That's no easy task with Prohibition agents hiding in every holler. When tragedy strikes, the women will have to fight even harder to keep their business and their family together.

8. The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell (coming September 16, 2025)—Romance really isn't my genre, but this love story just sounds like fun. It's about two actors who are starring together in an adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. There are plenty of emotions zinging back and forth between them...just not the good kind. When an electrical accident transports the sniping co-stars back to the Regency Era, they have to work together to figure out how to get home, preferably without totally screwing up history. Can they do it?

9. The Night We Became Strangers by Lorena Hughes (coming September 30, 2025)—In 1949, eleven years after a radio station dramatization of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells convinced Americans that Martians were invading the planet, an Eucadorian station decided to broadcast their own version. Appalled listeners, terrified of impending alien gas raids, set fire to the radio station building, killing fifteen people. 

This novel tells this tragic true tale through the eyes of two journalists whose families were profoundly affected by what happened at the radio station. Although they don't trust each other, they decide to work together to find the answers both of them are desperately seeking. 

10. The Last Spirits of Manhattan by John A. McDermott (coming October 14, 2025)—Another novel that is based on a true story, this one takes place at a Manhattan house party thrown by Alfred Hitchcock in 1956. The famous movie director is delighted to announce to his celebrity guests that the venue he's chosen for his gala is known to be haunted. When ghostly happenings start occurring, Carolyn Banks (whose aunt owns the home) must confront some long-held family secrets. 

There you are, ten upcoming historical fiction titles that I can't wait to read. Are you a hist fic fan? Which are your favorites? If you're not into the genre, why not? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

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. 

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).

What are you like when it comes to hype surrounding new books? Do you give into it for fear of missing out on a title "everyone" seems to be loving? Or are you leery about following the crowd, maybe because you've been burned before? Today's TTT prompt is all about that: Top Ten Books You Read/Avoided Because of the Hype (and did you make the right choice?). I'm more likely to do the latter, but occasionally, I do get caught up in the hype. I can think of a few books I've read or bought because of it, just not enough for much of a list. However, I have no trouble at all coming up with more books that are on my Fall TBR list, so I decided to make an addendum to last week's list. 

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

I've been MIA with Top Ten Tuesday lately and on the blog in general. Life's been busy. I just got back from an Alaska cruise and a family reunion in the Seattle area. Stepping out of the Phoenix airport into oven-hot temps very early this morning was a rude awakening after all the lovely, cool (but not all that cold) PNW weather. I'm hot, exhausted, and still nauseous from a bumpy plane ride, BUT I'm happy to be home!

Today's TTT prompt is all about series. I love sinking into series, where I can enjoy characters, settings, and stories. I'm in the middle of so many of them that I started keeping a spreadsheet to keep them all in order. The topic is Top Ten Favorite Books From Ten Favorite Book Series. That's too big of a challenge for my tired, aging brain, so I'm just going to give you my top ten favorite series. How's that?  

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

Top Ten Favorite Book Series 

(Covers are for the first book in each series, not necessarily my favorite one.)

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling (middle-grade fantasy)

2. Armand Gamache by Louise Penny (adult murder mystery)

3. Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer (YA historical fiction/action adventure)

4. Rockton/Haven's Rock by Kelley Armstrong (adult murder mystery)

5. Myrtle Hardcastle by Elizabeth C. Bunce (middle-grade historical fiction/mystery)

6. Tempe Brennan by Kathy Reichs (adult murder mystery)

7. Alcatraz by Gennifer Choldenko (middle-grade historical fiction)

8. Aaron Falk by Jane Harper (adult murder mystery)

9. Veronica Speedwell by Deanna Raybourn (adult historical fiction/mystery)

10. Jane/Mary books by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows (YA historical fiction/alternate history/supernatural)

There you go, ten of my favorite book series. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite series? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.