It's Tuesday again! How did that happen? This summer is just zipping by...The heat is crazy here in the Phoenix area, so I've been hibernating inside wth the air conditioning on high. I have a backyard pool, but it's way too hot to read out there. I'd melt in an instant. Even the pool water is on the warm side! At any rate, this week's TTT prompt is: Bookish Wishes. This topic comes up twice a year, and I've never felt entirely comfortable with it. The idea is that you list books that you would like to own, including your Amazon wishlist, and other bloggers can gift those titles to you if they feel so inclined. Like I said, not my thing. Instead, I'm going to start next week's list early, and make it a two-parter. That topic is much more to my liking: Top Ten Books On My Summer 2026 To-Read List. I could make a Top 100 list on this topic—choosing 20 will be a cinch.

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

1. Building 903 by Lois Lowry (available September 29, 2026)—I just received an e-ARC of this upcoming middle-grade dystopian novel from a children's fiction icon. It sounds intriguing. The story revolves around twin siblings who live in a world that is controlled by a tyrannical leader. Because the citizens feel comfortable and safe, they allow it, even though many despise the person in charge. When one of the twins disappears, no one wants to entertain such unpleasantless. Then, a 135-year-old woman lets the remaining twin in on a secret that might help her locate the missing child: books are portals that can lead to truth, freedom, and answers.

2. The Killing Time by Elly Griffiths (available November 17, 2026)—I loved The Frozen People, the first installment in a new time travel murder mystery series, so I was thrilled to get an e-ARC of the sequel. In this outing, Detective Ali Dawson is investigating the cold case of a boy who purportedly committed suicide by jumping off a tall building. She believes he was manipulated by a psychic who convinced him he could fly. Although Ali's team has been forbidden from time travelling after a major problem during their last visit to the past, she know she needs more insight into her current case. A quick dip back in time can't hurt, right? Naturally, things immediately begin to go awry.

3. A Royal Pain by Rhys Bowen—Her Royal Spyness was such a fun read that I'm eager to continue on with the series. Once I learned that the late Katherine Kellgren—one of my favorite audiobook narrators—voices the series, I grabbed an audiobook of A Royal Pain from Audible. This time around, Lady Georgie has been asked by the Queen of England to entertain a Bavarian princess. When you're a penniless aristocrat, that's a lot easier said than done. Caught up in the whirlwind of trying to make her London home look like a palace, complete with a serving staff she can't afford to hire, and attempting to cure the princess of some bad habits, Georgie barely has time to think about the dead body the royal may have had a hand in murdering...

4. A Dreadful Splendor by B.R. Myers—Lark recently raved about this Gothic murder mystery on her blog, and I immediately added it to my TBR list. The story is about a young con woman in Victorian England who poses as a spiritualist in order to sucker the wealthy out of their pocket money. When she's jailed for fraud, a stranger offers her a way to earn her freedom: convince a young nobleman that his recently deceased wife is resting in peace. Although it seems like an easy task, it's not. The husband believes his spouse was murdered and he wants the fake psychic to help him prove it. 

5. Rook by Sharon Cameron—Other than her forthcoming novel, Up From the Ashes (available October 6, 2026), I've read all of Cameron's books but this one. Its plot is a little hard to explain, so here's the publisher's version:

8. The Castaways by Lucy Clarke—I've been enjoying Clarke's destination thrillers lately. This one is about a woman who is filled with regret and grief after missing a vacation to Fiji that she was supposed to go on with her sister two years ago. Her sister's small plane disappeared, presumably crashed, assumedly killing all aboard. When the pilot suddenly shows up in Fiji claiming amnesia, the sister who was left behind travels to the country to figure out what really happened to her missing sibling.

9. An Artful Dodge by Karen Odden—This historical novel concerns a notorious all-female thieving ring in Victorian England. Twenty-year-old Kit Jimeson is the gang's best swindler, but she's ready to be done with that life. She's been saving her earnings so that both she and her younger sister can attempt an honest, respectable existence. Just as Kit's about to walk away, the gang's former leader returns with revenge on her mind. Kit is her most valuable weapon, and she won't let her go without a fight. Kit can only win her freedom by pulling off an impossible heist, one that will more than likely lead her straight to the hangman's noose.

10. The Séance Garden by Juliet Blackwell (available July 28, 2026)—Although her academic career is focused on the historical and societal significance of the occult, Professor Harper Grae is a long-time skeptic. Until she sees something otherworldly that she can't explain while on a cheesy ghost tour in Monterey, California. When the tour stumbles across the dead body of a local artist, Harper finds herself embroiled in the ensuing murder investigation. Learning that this is not the only woman to die on this particular property, the professor is forced to ask herself if it's possible the home is haunted.

There you go, ten books I want to read this summer. Have you read any of them? Which appeals to you most? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

There was always something strange about Mabel Waller. As a child, she was bigger than average, socially awkward, friendless, caught up in her own imagination, and desperate for affection. Then, there was the fact that the people close to her tended to end up injured or dead. When she became the youngest Australian ever to be convicted of murder, her fate as "Mad Mabel" was sealed. A monster like her was surely insane. Or was she?

Now 81, Mabel has become Elsie Fitzpatrick, an unassuming pensioner who has lived on the same quiet Melbourne street for 60 years. Other than an ongoing feud with her nemesis-neighbor, the irascible Elsie leads an unremarkable life. No one would ever guess she's a notorious criminal, possibly even a serial killer. When her nemesis winds up dead, Elsie's real identity is leaked, and suddenly she finds herself in the spotlight once again. Desperate to clear her name, she decides to tell her story for the first time ever to two young podcasters. As she divulges secrets from the past, deals with an angry public, and tries to fend off the unwanted attention of the 7-year-old "irritating little despot" next door, Elsie discovers—to her great surprise—that Mad Mabel has more friends than she thinks. Daring to care, however, has made her vulnerable. Will she lose everything she loves when she finally spills the truth about what she's done?

I'm a big Sally Hepworth fan, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed her newest thriller, Mad Mabel. The book is a little darker than her others, but it's also humorous, poignant, and heartwarming. Mabel's childhood and adolescence are so horrible that it's impossible not to pity her, even now that she's an old woman. Her sharpness—a defense mechanism if I ever saw one—makes her funny and appealing. Even though she's sarcastic and acerbic, I loved her from the start. Elise/Mabel becomes especially likeable as she opens her heart to the irrepressible Persephone. Their friendship is my favorite part of the story.

Mad Mabel is a character-driven novel, but there's plenty going on in the story to keep the reader turning pages. Hepworth spins the plot out in a way that gradually ups the tension, making it a suspenseful, engrossing read throughout. I did see one of the big plot twists coming from a mile away, but the one at the end caught me by surprise. (Funny enough, I read this book twice in a 6-month period and I still didn't see that last twist coming!) Although not all of my questions about Elise/Mabel were answered at the end of the novel, I still found its ending satisfying. In spite of some sad, dark content, Mad Mabel is actually a pretty warm, uplifting book. I loved it. 

(Readalikes: Reminds me a little bit of A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman)

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of Mad Mabel from the generous folks at St. Martin's Publishing Group via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

It's 1929 and a dazzling luxury hotel is about to open in Toronto, Canada. Living in the city's slums, 17-year-old Roisin "Rosie" Ryan is convinced that The Dominion represents her chance to change her fate. Instead of struggling through an impoverished childhood just to marry another penniless soul and continue grappling for a better life, she's determined to make one happen for herself. When she lands a job as a chambermaid to the hotel's special clients, then meets a dashing waiter who sweeps her off her feet, Rosie thinks she just about has it made. The trouble begins when she attracts the attention of a notorious mobster who's about to make a fortune from The Crash that will bankrupt people the world over. When Rosie realizes just how far Marco Carboni's reach goes, she knows she will have to risk everything to get herself and the people she loves out of his grasp. That's not as easy as it seems, and more than one person will lose their life in the ensuing melee...

Almost 100 years later, building inspector Bridget Kelly has been hired to make sure renovations being made to the The Dominion are up to snuff. As a lover of history and antiques, she's thrilled by the assignment. Meeting Matthew Buchanan, an adorably awkward archivist who shares many of her interests, is the icing on the cake. When she notices odd irregularities at the site, however, Bridget begins to suspect something is not quite right at the grand old hotel. As she digs deeper, she uncovers secrets—some of them a century old—that someone will kill to keep hidden. Can she and Matthew figure out what's really happening at The Dominion now and what truly occurred 100 years ago before it's too late? Or will they, too, become victims to nefarious goings-on at the historic hotel?

I always enjoy an absorbing dual-timeline novel, and The Chambermaid's Key by Genevieve Graham is certainly that. I've never been to Toronto, but the city came alive for me as I read, with lots of vivid details and interesting tidbits. (The history of The Tombs slum is particularly fascinating.) It was especially intriguing to compare/contrast the city over the course of 100 years. 

The characters in this novel are likable and root-worthy. Rosie is hard-working, loyal, brave, and compassionate. I wanted good things for her, even though it was obvious from the get-go that she was heading down a dangerous path. Bridget is less compelling, but I still liked her. It was sweet to watch her relationship with gawky Matthew grow over the course of the novel. With dual-timeline setups, I usually find myself caring much more about the past story than the present one, but this time, I felt invested in both storylines.

As far as plot goes, The Chambermaid's Key is fairly predictable. Still, I enjoyed its appealing blend of history, mystery, drama, suspense, and romance. The story gets far-fetched in places, sure, but that's okay. Overall, I found the book to be an engrossing, satisfying read. Bonus: it's clean, free from any graphic content. All of these elements combined to make this novel a very enjoyable one for me as well as one that I can confidently recommend to anyone.

(Readalikes: Reminds me a little bit of the Molly the Maid mystery series by Nita Prose)

To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Chambermaid's Key from the generous folks at Simon & Schuster via those at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I'm back from my cruise through the Yucatan. My husband and I had fun exploring new places, soaking in beautiful scenery, and learning about the history of the region we visited. We balanced out our excursions with a lot of relaxation time. Although the weather was mostly very hot and very humid, I did make good use of my balcony. It was lovely to read outside, especially after the sun went down and I could enjoy the warm breezes ruffling my hair while I Kindled my way through several books. 

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

These are the ten books I put on my potential reads list. I highlighted the ones I read (titles link to my Goodreads review):

1. Last One Out by Jane Harper - I ended up finishing this mystery/thriller the night before I left, so I'm not counting it as one of my six vacation reads. As much as I usually love Harper's work, Last One Out turned out to be a bit of a slog for me. It's just...slow. I liked it overall, but I came close to DNFing it several times because I got bored with it. Disappointing.

2. The Midnight Carousel by Fiza Saeed McLynn

3. My Husband's Wife by Alice Feeney - This needs to be my next read since it's already two weeks overdue at my library and I can't renew it because someone else is waiting for it. Oops!

4. A Map to Murder by Michelle Chouinard - This third installment in the A Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco series was one of my at-sea day reads. It's another fun murder mystery in an always-entertaining series. I enjoyed it.

5. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

6. The Memory of Borrowed Books by Meg Anderson

7. Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

8. The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives by Jenny Kane

9. Family of Spies by Christine Kuehn - If you like interesting narrative non-fiction, you should definitely pick up this book. It tells the fascinating story of how the author discovered that her grandparents were Nazi spies in Hawaii. 

10. The Season of Sinking by Daphne Woolsoncroft

In addition to the two highlighted titles, I also read:

1. Missing Molly by Natalie Barelli - This was my first read of the vacay. It's got a unique premise: a woman who does the books at a small-town newspaper learns her company will be starting a true crime podcast, the first season of which will highlight a notorious unsolved case involving a murdered family and a missing pre-teen. Unbeknownst to her colleagues, the bookkeeper is the missing child. With the murderer still out there, it's imperative that no one discovers her real identity, not even her husband. Can she sabotage the podcast enough to protect herself, even if it means losing her job, her friends, and everything else she's worked so hard to gain? Or will all that be lost anyway when her true identity is exposed? 

Despite this unique and promising premise, Missing Molly was only an okay read for me. The plot is far-fetched, the characters are pretty blah, and the prose is rather humdrum. It kept me turning pages, though.

2. How to Kill a Crime Writer by Sarah Lotz (available July 20, 2026) - Although this murder mystery is largely about a woman grieving the sudden death of her mother, with whom she had a complicated relationship, it's actually a pretty upbeat, hopeful story. It's also funny, quirky, and satisfying. I really enjoyed it.

3. What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally - On the last day of my cruise, as we were gliding away from Mexico and back to Florida, I decided it would be fun to read a YA survival story about a group of teens who go sailing on a stormy day in Puerto Vallarta and end up in a fight for their lives. This novel tells a pretty generic story with a cast of heavily stereotyped characters, but it kept me turning pages.

4. Devils at the Door by Tessa Wegert - I read this murder mystery, the fifth book in the Shana Merchant series, during a very long wait at the Fort Lauderdale Airport. Although it gets into some weird subject matter, the novel is engrossing and compelling, just like all the other installments in the series.

5. The Chow Maniac by Vivien Chien - This is the "ish" part of six(ish) since I haven't actually finished this cozy mystery yet. I read half of it on the plane ride from Raleigh, North Carolina, back to Phoenix. It's the 11th book in the Noodle Shop mystery series. It's about a secret society of Chinese Americans in Cleveland, the members of which are suddenly perishing in ways that seem suspicious. A man who fears he is next hires P.I. Lydia Shepard to investigate, and she enlists the help of Lana Lee, restaurant manager and amateur sleuth.

There you go, the six(ish) books I read on my vacation. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What do you like to read while on holiday? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.