A Very Irish Mystery (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #25), by Verity Bright

 

Publication April 10, 2026

As usual, it's the characters who keep drawing me back to this series over and over again. From the curious and unstoppable Lady Eleanor Swift, who wasn't raised to be a lady, to husband Hugh and butler/friend/master of....whatever is needed Clifford, they are a delight to spend time with. And, of course, I can't forget Gladstone, Eleanor's trusty canine. The frequently humorous give-and-take between Eleanor and Clifford has always been a highlight of the historical fiction series for me, so it was great to see it front and center. Hugh, as the Scotland Yard officer, has always seemed a bit left out of that fun but he seems to be slowly settling into his retired cop, now detective role and showing a bit more of his human side this go-round. As he notes at one point, probably a bit bemused, as a cop he used to be the one chasing the culprit but now seems to be running from the law as often as not in partnership with the often impulsive Eleanor and Clifford who always seems to have her back and know what she needs or wants before she does. Definitely an interesting trio of detectives.

In this go-round, they find themselves in Dublin. They're planning to connect with a man who claims to be able to tell her something about how long missing parents. Eleanor has never quite solved the one mystery of a personal nature, why her parents abandoned her the night of their disappearance two decades ago. Well, they do ultimately meet him but there's a whole other matter that draws them before, the murder of brewery owner Fergal Finnegan. Eleanor discovers the body, no shock to long time readers, but, oh, my, what a place to find it. Nope, not telling. You're going to have to read the book. It goes without saying that they become absorbed with this case after being hired by the brewery's suddenly new manager but, in the meantime, we meet up with suffragettes, tour some of the backstreets of the Dublin of the day, find out Hugh isn't much of a sailor, and learn a bit about, uh, the oldest profession. Again, nope, not telling, you'll just have to read the book. And what's with all the rival breweries? Could one of them have killed Finnegan? How about the women, yes, plural, in his life? Oh, what a twisted web our trio has to unravel. All while, of course, awaiting the delayed arrival of the mystery man who may know something about Eleanor's parent's fate. Let's just say, that wasn't how they expected that discussion to go.

But, more than enough teasers. Obviously, I adore this series. I like the characters and they seem to wind up in some of the most fascinating places. We also learn lots about the setting of each adventure, not to mention a great deal of the history of the time. Do be sure to read the Historical Notes at the end. they touch of that subject, adding more to the story.  Thanks #Bookouture and #NetGalley for letting me time travel backwards once again for an early peek at all that is going on in Lady Eleanor's life. I did miss "the ladies" this go round but, hey, one can't be unhappy with a cozy mystery that manages to work in a Machiavelli quote seamlessly. 

Topped Chef (Key West Food Critic Mystery #3), by Lucy Burdette

Another oldie that's been languishing on my overflowing bookshelf. Having read the more recent books in the series, it was sort of fun to go back and see how Hayley Snow functioned in the earlier days of the series. As luck would have it, I actually have the newest book on my official review list, so it'll be fun to compare how things changed.

Hayley is more or less volunteered to be a judge of the Key West Topped Chef reality show contest.  As food critic for the local paper, that's probably not surprising. What is surprising is that one of the other judges is the one Hayley had just filed a negative review about. That made things tense but that's not the worst of it. He winds up being murdered. That winds up ruining Hayley's more or less first real date with Nathan, the local detective. Long time readers, it was a hoot to be reminded that love isn't always smooth going, let's just say. As this is an oldie, published in 2013, I won't detail the plot much further except to say Hayley finds herself playing amateur sleuth, not to mention uncomfortable in front of the cameras. Hayley isn't the most cautious of sleuths, I must admit, so I'm sure it won't surprise anyone that she winds up being in danger. I must also admit that I didn't figure out whodunit and, in fact, pretty much didn't like any of the suspects as the one. So much for my sleuthing skills. Anyway, a light read and, hey, one more off my extensive TBR list. 

Arlo Needs Your Help, by Cortney Cino , Olga Sall (Illustrator)

 

Publication May , 202

It's always fun and an ego boost to have an author ask you to review their book, even more so when they aren't aware of a connection you have with the topic. At the last school I taught at before retirement, a self-contained class created and maintained a butterfly garden that, lucky me, was right outside my classroom door. As a result, I got to see some of the processes detailed here with my own eyes. That said, even I learned a thing or two here, so don't hesitate thinking you surely know all this.

We first meet Arlo when he's stuck in the container we see on the cover. The children who put him there were well meaning but it put him in danger. What kind of danger? To be simplistic, of not being able to go through metamorphosis to become a majestic monarch butterfly. Colorfully illustrated the colors and settings suggesting spring and the time of growth and rebirth, the drawings will pull you in as you enjoy the flowers and colors.  I absolutely loved that rather than just reading about Arlo, children are urged to take part in several interactive tasks, pulling them in as actual participants of the story. I found myself grinning as I imagined the books being turned upside down and shaken and the stomping and clapping the readers would so enjoy taking part in. The text is easy to read and doesn't talk down to readers, instead making them an active participant in Arlo's transformation. 

Important facts are subtly shared, such as why Arlo's initial rescue really wasn't a rescue and how to help not just Arlo but butterflies thrive. Illustrator Olga Sall did an excellent job showing us the steps, including the eventual chrysalis in different types of weather and even when, yikes, threatened by things like birds and a praying mantis. You'll also see the special kind of plant/flower caterpillar's need to gain the strength for their eventual change. It was fun to see the chrysalis being formed in different stages then follow it through the about 14 days needed for Arlo to reemerge but, oh, my, with a lovely new look. This is where the stomping and clapping come into play, btw, as children help keep Arlo safe from predators. Knowing how impatient even adults can be, I definitely appreciated the reminder that this was something Arlo needed to do on his own, so don't try to help him with his new wings. 

Bottom line, a fun guide to one of the things most of us have heard of but really not seen that manages to engage both the children's attention and participation. This would make a wonderful gift for a science teacher or anyone with an interest in such things. It's never too soon to engage children in not just being fascinated by nature but showing them how to focus that interesst. As such, kudos to the author for including a "Did you know...." type list at the end regarding the butterfly's role in our ecosystem. I didn't get the actual book, alas, just a digital copy, but there's a lovely bonus poster included with the book that shows the various stage of metamorphosis. And, yes, the milkweed flower gets lots of space for reasons you'll learn. Thank you author #CortneyCino and #WhimspireBooks for thinking of giving me this early peek at a lovely book that actually brought back some delightful ol' memories of walking through my school's butterfly garden and marveling at the love and care the children invested in it and the butterfly.

 

A Blue Ribbon Murder (Urban Tails Pet Shop Mysteries Book 6), by T. C. LoTempio

 

Publication March 311, 2026

Where were you when the lights went out? Hopefully not with Shell McMillan. Why? Because when they came back on she was staring at a dead body. Who killed the cat show organizer? And, why?

As it turns out, there are any number of likely suspects, including the stepson. Shell, a former co-star of a popular detective show, just can't seem to help herself. She launches into a real life investigation almost immediately. Fortunately, given the tight schedule she's on at the cat show between being a vendor and showing her own Siamese cat, Kahlua, she has the help of her former co-star, Gary Presser. Nope, no romance there. Shell's boyfriend is the local police detective. There are quite a few characters coming and going, too, and since this is my first read of this series, I wasn't quite sure how many were regular characters. I did enjoy meeting most. Shell was easy to like although I did question how she managed to find time to sleuth here and there given everything else going on, including her one-eyed cat at home. Seems even her non-papered but probably Maine Coon is even entered in what is essentially a pet category, She also didn't seem to hesitate confronting suspects alone albeit Gary did manage to have her back whenever possible. As it was, many of the clues and info obtained were more a matter of being at the right place at the right time.  

Despite Shell's rashness at times, I liked her and the probably regulars. The mystery itself was intriguing with Shell practically being on the spot at the time it occurred. The suspects all seemed to have viable reasons for being on the list, too, so that was a realistic note, as was the seemingly long-suffering sheriff's sighs discovering Shell at the site of another body. While I won't detail the plot further, the background stories include everything from the family dynamics of the victim's family to cat show antics and jealousies, artists, secrets, deep secrets at that, and even rumors of forgery. Toss in Shell's trio of cats, one one-eyed, and it was an interesting read once I sorted out the characters. It obviously worked as a standalone although I think I'd have zeroed in on who was new and who was a regular faster had I read previous books. In the grand scheme of things, however, it worked well. Thanks #BeyondThePagePublishing for introducing me to Shell and the world of Fox Hollow. The cat show antics were fun for this admitted dog person and loved her cats' personalities. Hey, I've always says I'm character driven. It isn't always the human characters that pull you in, you know. Grin. 

Deadly Patterns, by Melissa Bourbonlow

 

Published 2012

Even with already crammed bookshelves, I can't resist the local library's monthly used book sale.Picked this up awhile back but only now got around to reading it. It's a mix of mystery, magic, family connections, heritage, and romance. More on the magic in a bit. Main character Harlow has moved back to the small town of Bliss, Texas, after leaving a big city design and dress shop. The magic comes in with her great grandmother, Loretta Mae Cassidy, who is ghost. They don't seem to be able to communicate well but Loretta does have a way of making her presence known. And, oh, the Cassidy name? Seems Harlow is related to Butch Cassidy. Yes, that Butch Cassidy. The one of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In any case, that heritage seems to give descendants a bit of magic. In Harlow's case it's that the outfits she designs for them creates happiness of one sort or the other. There are bunches of townspeople related to Harlow and I wish I'd have known there was a basic family tree included at the end. It would have helped me keep it straight who was who and how all were connected much faster. 

That aside, it was a quirky, fun read. It begins when Harlow goes to the historic Denison mansion to do a fitting on the town's Santa Claus for the town's Christmas event. The mystery begins when Dan, the volunteer Santa, mysteriously falls to his death from the widow's walk of the old mansion. Harlow discovers the body in a way I'm sure she'd just as rather not repeat.  Seems fake Santa Dan, wasn't as beloved as the real thing. Who'd have killed him? How? As it turns out, there are lots of suspects and Harlow finds herself unable to resist doing her own investigation, never mind there's romance blooming, or trying to bloom, with Will. 

I won't detail more of the plot as I'm sure this one is readily available at your library, but lots of twists and turns and red herrings seem designed to ruin Christmas for not just Harlow but Bliss. Bottom line, I think I may be looking for the rest of this series soon. While it was all a tad confusing jumping in on the third book with multiple characters and bits of magic scattered about the town, I liked Harlow and the seeming regulars. It's always fun to find you're stumbled across something that grabs you from the opening page. Must be part of the Cassidy magic, huh?

Murder at Sea (A Miss Underhay Mystery #23), by Helena Dixon

 

Publication Feb.23, 2026

It's 1938 in Devon, England. As the story opens, to set the scene firmly in history's timetable, Kitty and those about her are hearing news reports of the Nazi government stripped of citizenship in Romania. A problem closer to home quickly developed, however, as Kitty's cousin Hattie bursts in in tears, saying she's been robbed. Even worse, by her gentleman friend who seems to have taken her jewelry, including a treasured keepsake, and vanished. A quick investigation later, Kitty and Matt find themselves boarding the ship Bonaventure to New York. It seems the gentleman friend may be none other than the elusive Redvers that Matt has been trying to track down for far longer than he likes. Much to their shock, they find him. Dead. That's just the beginning, of course, with lots of international intrigue quickly becoming apparent. 

That's about all I'm going to share of the plot as it's a fun one, full of everything from a young girl's starry eyed romance to secret plans (military?) that relate to the war creeping every closer to them in England. On, and stolen identities and, sigh, class differences and, well, even Kitty's father in NYC, who takes them in for their brief stay, plays a role. This has become a favorite series and I find that I like the regulars and am always eager to find out what they've been up to since my last virtual visit. There are quite a few side characters to keep up with, too, I admit, but they pretty quickly differentiate themselves and showed unique personalities and backgrounds. I did miss Bertie, Kitty's trusty spaniel, but he wouldn't have enjoyed cruising most likely. Kitty's father's quick thinking was a plus, too, so his quick appearance was definitely a plus. And, hey, the Statue of Liberty gets a mention, too, a definitely perk of their unexpected trip to America.

Bottom line, if you enjoy historical fiction/mysteries, give this one a try. It works well as a standalone although past readers will grasp certain aspects far more quickly than newbies. Dixon does a great job setting the scene, both in the sense of time and aboard the ship with the increasingly anxious captain and involved characters.  The plot moves along nicely and you'll enjoy meeting most of the side characters, even while suspecting them of murder most likely. Having cruised myself, it was interesting to compare Matt and Kitty's shipboard happenings and how passengers were assigned rooms, not to mention the slightly different lifeboat routines. Thanks #Bookouture for introducing me to this delightful couple of sleuths and giving me this early peek at their life and adventures. 

Cat on a Hot Tin Woof (Chet & Bernie Mystery #16), by Spencer Quinn

 Publication April 14, 2026

It's just cat-hating, detective dog Chet's luck that the next case he and his human Bernie will be involved in centers around, oh, dear, cats. A missing cat to be exact. A viral sensation of a cat. Miss Kitty. An internet star. Her human, Bitty, misses her terribly. While Chet would just as rather human PI Bernie Little pass this case up -- seems a cat had something to do with Chet flunking out of K9 classes -- Bernie is a sucker for a sad teen's face. He also is always, always in need of money. Chet will explain that here and there as the story progresses but, well, let's just say Bernie puts his money in all the wrong places. 

Anyway, Bernie accepts the case. Oh, and did I mention that the prime witness is a real pig. Real as in a oinking pig. Goes by the name of Senor Piggy. You know right there that this is going to be a fun, wild, and probably very humorous case.  I'm not going to detail the plot, it's too much fun to follow as it unfolds, but it does tackle what might be considered a timely issue, the down side of internet fame. It's narrated by Chet, who believes his human partner is absolutely brilliant, and is full of action and author Spencer Quinn's trademark humor. I've missed the last few books, alas, but fell right into this one with no issues, so would say it works well as a standalone if you're new to the series. 

Bottom line, a fun, interesting mystery. It's totally narrated by Chet, btw, so you get his somewhat quirky, goofy takes on everything from the way cats smell -- he senses there's going to be a cat involved even before Bernie talks to the clients -- to  Bernie's obsession with his car and, well, much more. It makes for a lighthearted read even when things get tense and there's always a lot of action in this series. You'll like Chet and Bernie, even if Chet's viewpoint of Bernie is, well, a bit of hero worship, too. It's Chet's voice we get, of course, and that keeps the humor flowing and Chet's genuine attachment to his human is obvious. Needless to say, lots of twists and turns in the plot, all ending up in a confrontation. Seriously, will Chet be able to bring himself to help, ugh, a cat? Thanks #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for giving me this early peek at Chet and Bernie's latest case, cat, big, and all. I need to get to the library and catch up on this series!

Dog Person: A Novel, by Camille Pagán

Publication April 4, 2026

First, a personal note. While I was initially psyched to read an entire book/romance through the eyes of a loyal old dog, my enthusiasm dimmed with the passing of my own loyal old dog. As such, this was an unexpectedly tough read for me. It was a good story, however,  and I, of course, adored Harold, the old dog. It was fun to see his doggie take on things both profound and mundane, from squirrels to books and romance. Tasked by Miguel's late wife Amelia May, Harold is determined to help Miguel find his way through grief and find love again. Of course, it has to be someone Harold approves of, too. Hey, he is a dog.

The story centers about Miguel realizing he's about to lose his beloved bookstore that Amelia May and he started. She was a romance writer and had adopted Harold despite his less than cute looks and quirks. While I was a bit mystified about why she didn't ensure that her writer's royalties didn't go to Miguel given that she did have time, one must cut her some slack given the circumstances. Now Miguel's maybe last shot at saving the bookshop, the appearance of a popular author who bailed on him, leads Miguel to set out with Harold to find that author and convince him to appear. Well, he doesn't exactly find the author but maybe the next best thing is he finds the author's sister, Fiona, and her young daughter, conveniently named Amelia May, too. Oddly enough, Fiona doesn't much like dogs but, hey, her daughter does and falls in love with Harold. And this is where the story takes off.

Bottom line, I won't detail the plot, it's probably predictable  While it's certainly a romance, it's also multi-layered, dealing with grief, loss, and how to find one's way out of the shadow of grief. I liked the dog's point of view although I occasionally wished we could get more of a feel for what was going on in the humans' minds. You'll definitely feel the pain and hope of these characters, not to mention Harold's emotional roller-coaster perspective, too. Dog lover's, make sure you have tissue handy as you read the epilogue. There's more I could say but for now will leave this as it stands. I liked it but didn't enjoy it, if that makes sense, but that's on my own personal path, not the book. Thanks #Ballantine - #DelacortePress for making this early peek available to me. The timing didn't work as it turned out but I enjoyed the read nevertheless, which speaks highly of the author's talent. 

 

Dock Locks & Murder Shocks (Mysteries of Mount Pleasant: Book 5), by AUDREY ALDEN

 

Publication Date   Feb 27, 2026

 

Once an investigative reporter in a big city, Lila Bennett has settled into life in Mount Pleasant. There, she's co-owner of The Gilded Spine, a combo bookshop/cafe, with best friend Amy Johnson. She has a boyfriend, Alan Green, and has made solid friendships. She also had a tendency to find herself in the middle of murder investigations. In this case, it's "Who killed Camden Ward?" Given that Ward had managed to offend, well, almost everyone in town, there are multiple suspects.

 

Camden is described as a man who lived for the spotlight and it showed in his micro-managing of the town's spring celebration. His rapid fire pandering to the media while quickly making rapid fire changes to schedules and locations with rules that must be obeyed to the dot wasn't gaining him any support. Even his second-in-command, Tessa Langford, seemed perpetually stressed, a stress she then passed along to others. There are many layers to it all, ranging from signs being moved to badge colors and more that made it hard for me as a reader to keep up, so can't imagine regular volunteers dealing well with it all. There's a prologue that sets us up for what is to come, the discovery of Camden's body, and then we slip back a couple days and chapters for what lead up to it. And, oh, bet you can guess who was at hand when marina manager Rob discovers the body. Yep. Lila. While she isn't as actively involved in the investigation, ie putting her life at risk regularly, she's still involved. Police Chief Sofia Martinez has learned to trust her observational skills over the series and asks for her input. She also keeps reminding her to only believe what she sees with her own eyes, too, as well as to stay in her own lane, ie just an idle observer. I liked Sofia's no nonsense, just the facts, manner, I must admit. Meant Lila was concise and specific in her observations, not going off on wild tangents or theories.

 

Given the volume of clues and/or red herrings that came to her attention, I admired Lila's disciple. I read the first book of this series and noted that I mentioned how pushy she was at questioning and coming up with theory after theory of whodunit, so this was a pleasant change. I'm still not quite taken with the series but do like most of the main characters, especially Amy, who seems to know just how to deal with Lila, from getting her to eat and hydrate to remembering to stay in her lane.  I found myself wishing for a character list, I must admit. Let's just say there are a lot of characters coming and going and I found it difficult to keep track of who was who. As noted, there were a lot of clues and red herrings coming at you fast and furious, too, making it difficult for me to take it all in and make sense of it all. Different colored badges, gossip, gate assignments and reassignments, and an daily calendar of events that seemed to change so often that even event organizers were confused, especially when fake lists began appearing. It was all a bit much for me to take in, probably just me, but a 3.5 rounded to 4 star rating. Others may find it a fun puzzle to sort out, so your mileage may vary. Glad Amy and Alan were there to keep Lila grounded and focused and, of course, we can't forget her beautiful Golden Retriever Finn. Thanks #BookSirens for the early peek at life in Mount Pleasant. One never knows the potential chaos that may be lurking beneath even the most bucolic small town. 

 

 

Murder at Big Ben: The Fairbanks and Flynn Mysteries, Book 2, by Michelle Salter

 

Publication March 30, 2026

You're about to take a deep dive back into the past. It's April 1911. About two months before the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. That's neither here nor now, though. The focus of main character Coral Fairbanks is on women's rights. As such, she's quite active in the various activities of the group, some skirting the law. That makes Coral's potentially budding relationship with Scotland Yard detective Guy Flynn a bit tough, obviously, as he's usually tasked with halting the various activities or, as some call them, stunts. In this case, a small group, including Coral, plan to sneak into Parliament and hide out overnight in order to be counted there as part of the national census to be taken the next morning.Unbeknownst to Coral, Flynn is one of the officers sent there to insure nothing is damaged. Unfortunately, property damage is a minor worry as it turns out that one of the woman who sneaks in is found dead there. Hardly a feather in the cap with three Scotland Yard detectives on site. 

That's where the story really takes off. Flynn is torn by his official rank and his sympathy toward the movement which includes his daughter Theresa's growing interest. Coral and Flynn both fight their growing attraction but she quickly falls into helping him whenever possible. Who'd have wanted to kill the vivacious, apparently charming Amy, an American married to a British man? Maybe more puzzling, how did they do it? I'm not going to spoil the plot further for you but let's just say, let's see, it includes not just the suffragette movement but a deep dive into the art world, family drama, forgery, money problems, politics, poisons, and, more. You'll also learn quite a bit about what is called providence, or proof of the authenticity of works of art and it is discerned and proven. As always, I loved the historical aspects of the story (read the author's note at the end for more on that) and enjoyed the behind the scenes look at Big Ben itself, not to mention inside the Parliament building. You'll also be privy to both Coral and Flynn's points of view, which lets you see how things are progressing when the two main characters are apart. The author makes it easier for you to keep the characters straight, btw,, by giving us a character list with a brief description of who is who up front. That was much appreciated as there are quite a few characters.

Bottom line, a fun, relatively quick moving plot. And, nope, I didn't figure it out until the big reveal. I was so sure I had it, too. Good use of red herrings and twists and turns by the author to make it all make sense at the end. The characters were nicely fleshed out and largely likeable. Heck, I felt sympathy for the eventual killer, too, always a sign of good writing. And, oh, yes, seriously liked the ending. Nice to see the romances, yes, plural, moving forward. Thanks #BoldwoodBooks for introducing me to this series and continuing to allow me an early glimpse of Coral's complicated life through the virtual time machine. Looking forward to their next adventure, hopefully without Flynn having to arrest Coral for... well, whatever.