When her abusive husband dies, Lady Katherine Bascomb breathes a sigh of relief.  Not only is she finally free from his explosive temper, but she's now a wealthy widow and the owner of a London newspaper.  As such, she's free to write the kinds of articles she wants to pen, even if the laced-up Victorians frown upon a lady reporting hard news.  Kate refuses to let that stop her from using her own intelligence and insight to try to solve a spate of murders that have been plaguing the city.  When she makes a rookie investigatory misstep that puts a young woman in danger, however, she sees just how dangerous meddling in police work can be.

A seasoned detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police, Andrew Eversham is furious when he learns that Kate has been nosing around in his case.  He becomes even more enraged when he encounters her again—this time as the discoverer of a murdered manservant at her friend's country manor.  As annoyed as he is by the beautiful Kate, he can't deny that she's smart and observant.  True, she made a dangerous mistake in reporting, but would it really be so bad to give her another chance?  Andrew needs all the help he can get to stop a vicious criminal and Kate just might make a worthy partner.  Can the duo work together without losing their tempers—or their hearts?  

Everything about A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins—from its playful cover to its clever tagline to its lively plot summary—screams light, fun historical mystery/romance.  I expected to be thoroughly charmed by the novel, which I have been looking forward to reading ever since it landed on my doorstep.  Did it live up to my (admittedly high) expectations?  Not exactly.  While the book is diverting overall, it didn't enchant me the way I wanted it to.  The characters are likable without being anything special.  I get that Kate is supposed to be a forward-thinking woman, but her attitude and speech feel too contemporary to be authentically Victorian.  As far as Andrew goes, his constant distraction over Kate's looks made him seem unprofessional and less honorable than I wanted him to be.  Both are supposed to be fiercely independent and love-adverse, but neither has to work too hard to win the other over, which makes their romance seem insta-lovey and stale.  I was especially annoyed by a brief, but fairly graphic sex scene that occurs about 3/4 of the way through the story.  The swerve from PG-ish territory to R came as a disappointing surprise to me.  It didn't fit with the vibe of the novel, although perhaps I should have seen it coming since Collins' other books are, apparently, bodice rippers.  Nevertheless, it soured my reading experience of what I thought would be a light, frothy romantic mystery.  Speaking of the mystery, it does have a plot twist that I didn't totally see coming, which made for a nice surprise.  Still, the finale is pretty lackluster and anti-climactic.  All of these things considered, A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem turned out to be an only slightly better-than-average read for me.  It was engaging enough to keep me reading, but too many irritants got in the way of me really enjoying it.  I wanted to love the book and just...didn't.  As far as this genre goes, I'll stick with what I already know and love.  Sorry, but Kate Bascomb simply can't compete with Veronica Speedwell and Kat Halloway.       

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of the Veronica Speedwell mystery series by Deanna Raybourn and the Kat Halloway mystery series by Jennifer Ashley, although I'd recommend both of these over A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem)

Quinn Caine has always loved her quaint hometown of Vienna, Virginia.  After attending college and teaching English abroad, the 25-year-old is back to stay.  Working as a book binder at her family's charming shop will hopefully let her make a decent living while spending time with her kin and getting reacquainted with old friends.  With her German Shepherd, Ruff Barker Ginsburg, by her side, she's all set to make a new life for herself in Vienna.

The past comes calling when snooty Tricia Pemberley goes out of her way to flash her new engagement ring in Quinn's face.  The former beauty queen, who's set to marry an old flame of Quinn's, loves to stir up drama where there isn't any.  Quinn couldn't care less about the pending nuptials, but when Tricia ends up dead, suspicion turns her way.  With the help of Sister Daria—her cousin-turned-nun—Quinn vows to clear her name.  Although Detective Aiden Harrington—her older brother's hot friend-turned-cop—warns her against Nancy Drew-ing her way into trouble, Quinn won't rest until she finds out who really killed Tricia.  Can she solve the case before she becomes the next victim?  Or will her new life in Vienna end before it ever really begins?

To Kill a Mocking Girl by Harper Kincaid is the first book in a new cozy mystery series starring Quinn Cane.  Vienna is a real Virginia town and it makes for an appealing background.  Kincaid creates a warm fictional community for Quinn that is composed of a tight-knit family, quirky townsfolk, a hip nunnery, and a lovable canine.  This is by far my favorite thing about To Kill a Mocking Girl, which is otherwise a pretty so-so tale.  The mystery is predictable, the plot is contrived, and the interactions between certain characters (Quinn and Tricia, for instance) are melodramatic and silly.  Quinn comes off as likable, but also ditzy and immature.  And she is not at all convincing as a bookbinder.  Despite these irritants, the book is upbeat, entertaining, and fun.  I'm still trying to decide whether the annoying things about this first installment outweigh its more agreeable aspects.  Will I give the next one a go?  Maybe, maybe not.  We'll see.

(Readalikes:  Most of the cozies I read are more culinary in nature, so I'm drawing a bit of a blank here.  Ideas?)

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

An Irish immigrant, Sophie Whalen will do anything to get out of New York City, where she lives in squalor in a crowded tenement building.  She's even willing to move to far away San Francisco and marry a man she's never met.  A handsome widower, Martin Hocking desires a living wife to give him a proper family man appearance in order to better sell insurance.  His 5-year-old also needs a mother.  Sophie steps in, figuring love or at least a warm friendship will eventually grow between her and her enigmatic new husband.  Even though she's more interested in being a mom than anything else, Sophie's still confused by Martin's cool treatment of her.  He's gone all the time, shows no desire for her physically, ignores his own daughter, and is always vague about his work.  It's becoming increasingly obvious that Martin is hiding something, but what?  

On the eve of the great earthquake that will bring San Francisco to its knees, Sophie receives a shocking visit from a stranger.  The young pregnant woman bears more questions than answers, but it's enough to make Sophie desperate to get them all away before Martin returns home.  When the unthinkable happens, she finds herself on the run in a crumbling city with a laboring mother and a terrified child.  With chaos and destruction all around them, can the trio find safety from the earthquake, its devastating aftermath, and the terrible secret that binds them together?  Will Sophie ever triumph in her ongoing quest for security, happiness, and love? 

I'm a fan of historical fiction, disaster novels, and Susan Meissner, a tantalizing trifecta that comes together perfectly in The Nature of Fragile Things, the author's newest offering.  I buzzed through this book in a day because it tells such a compelling, engrossing story.  Even though the novel really isn't about the San Francisco earthquake, the disaster makes an intriguing, dramatic backdrop for this tale about a woman's plight to forge ahead despite her devastating past and uncertain future.  Sophie is a sympathetic heroine, one who's brave, loyal, and determined.  It's easy to root for her survival and success.  What she discovers about her husband is not what I expected, but it creates a tense, suspenseful plot that kept me burning through the pages.  The Nature of Fragile Things is an absorbing read that reminds me why I enjoy Meissner's work so much.  I can't wait to see what she does next.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain and of Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan Henry)

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of The Nature of Fragile Things from the generous folks at Penguin Random House via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

I'm old.  Let's just start with that.  I know I'm not the most senior book blogger out there—in age or in the length of time I've been blogging—but I'm certainly on the "aged" end of both spectrums.  Don't faint, but I was born back in the Dark Ages: 1975.  Gerald Ford was president of the United States, bell bottoms were all the rage, "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille was rocking the No. 1 spot on the music charts, and James Michener held that honor on the New York Times bestseller list for his novel Centennial. The big news that year was, of course, my birth in a little tiny town in Washington State.  Just kidding, although it was eventful since I arrived in the middle of a big snowstorm that stranded my mom's ob/gyn at the bottom of the hill to the hospital, leaving an intern in charge of my arrival (which probably explains a lot about me).  Ha ha.  

If you were starting to wonder what all this rambling has to do with the price of gas (it was 53 cents/gallon in 1975), it's because of today's nostalgic Top Ten Tuesday topic:  Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born.  Since I'm so ancient, there are a lot of books that were penned long before I showed up on this earth.  I'm not a huge classics reader, so I haven't actually read most of them.  Ten favorites did come to mind, though.  

If you want to join in the TTT fun and share your own list, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info.

Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born     

1.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (published 1960)—This timeless classic is my favorite book of all time.  I re-read it every few years because I love it so much.

2.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)—I adore this book as well.  I've read it numerous times and am actually listening to it on audio right now.  Although it's definitely outdated in some ways, it still delights me with its warmth and charm.  

3.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936)—This sweeping one-hit wonder has always captivated me.

4.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1908)—There's just no other character quite like Anne Shirley!  You have to love her fiery personality and all the many scrapes and adventures it gets her into.

5.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)—This holiday classic is the only Dickens book I've actually read (it's short), but I adore it so much that I re-read it every year to help get me in the Christmas spirit.

6.  Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene (1930-1985)—Although some of the installments were published after my birth, most of these beloved mysteries came out before I did.  They were huge favorites of mine when I was young.

7.  And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)—I love mysteries, but I haven't read very many genre classics.  This famous locked-room whodunit is the exception as I've read and enjoyed it several times.  

8.  Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)—It's actually only been a few years since I first read this classic.  I adored it and need to re-read it soon.

9.  Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1932-1971)—I was a huge Little House fan (both of the books and the t.v. show) when I was a kid.

10.  Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (about 1839-1892)—I've never been a big poetry fan.  Most poems are too abstract for me and just make me feel dumb.  Longfellow's poetry is different.  It rhymes!  It makes sense!  Admittedly, I haven't read all of his verse (not even close), but I've always liked what I have read by him.

There you go, ten of my favorite books that were published before my birth.  Do we have any in common?  Which of your most beloved reads preceded you into the world?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.