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When a tree uprooted during a storm reveals the bones of a young woman, DCI Hatherall and partner DI Fiona Williams have the difficult task of picking through decades of secrets and lies to find a killer.

The Skeletons of Birkbury is so unequivocally British, the rural setting of Birkbury and the age-old rivalry between villagers and landowners helps set the scene with its quirky village atmosphere, colorful villagers and an engrossing plot that draws you into the story. The slow, steady pace of the book lulls you into complacency, you barely realize how the suspense grows because you're so drawn into the fabric of the village life. I love how realistic the characters are; DCI Hatherall is an enigmatic investigator with several skeletons in his closet that he's dealing with along with solving the case. I really felt for poor Frank! Still grieving over his wife's death several years prior, he's done things he isn't proud of and when he gets caught in the middle of this decades old murder investigation, you can't help but empathize with him. I loved Joyce's loving loyalty and protection of Frank, even going so far as to search for evidence to exonerate him. It was very sweet and added a real touch of humanity to the story.

The well crafted plot had many misdirections and red herrings that kept me turning pages, and each new clue had me questioning my suspicions. There were so many facets to the plot; not only do they have to untangle the murder of the young woman whose bones were found, but also the suspicious car accidents, one fatal, that are connected to the case. I really enjoyed how well the disappearance of another woman, seen with one of the suspects, dovetailed into the story, and the action packed ending raced to a satisfying conclusion. I was sorry when it all ended.

Overall, The Skeletons of Birkbury is an outstanding entry into the world of DCI Hatherall and I don't hesitate to recommend it for mystery fans to curl up with and spend a few hours.

Someone's trying to frame Hurley, from killing his ex-girlfriend to burning down David's house with Hurley's gas can to attempting to abduct Mattie. But who and why? Under suspicion, Hurley goes on the run and enlists Mattie's help in figuring out who's behind it all.

Good, but not great. I didn't devour this one like I did the other books in the series. I can't put my finger on why, some momentum was lost after the second book. But there was a lot to like in this one, from more background on Hurley (who is the series's least developed character, IMHO) to the old detective Bob (the gym scene made me laugh out loud!) to the great plot with a surprising twist at the end, there's no way I ever saw that coming. Although enjoyable, I found myself putting it aside in favor of other books more than once.

It's always a pleasure to sit down with an Ed James book, because I know it will be a deftly plotted, action packed thrill ride and In For the Kill lived up to the hype. Fenchurch has a lot on his plate at the moment, with dealing with the aftermath of finding Chloe, his long ago abducted daughter, his wife nearing the birth of their second child, and a the terrifying case of a college co-ed found murdered in her bed at the same university Chloe attends.

This was a great read, I loved the thrilling fast paced chase through London solving this complex crime. There were one or two points where the pace slowed a bit, but not by much and there was a lot of action to keep my pulse racing and the tense atmosphere kept me turning pages, impatient to see the next bombshell. Although I missed a few books in the series since I read the first book, I was able to get right back into it. Thanks to the great character development and the consistency of the writing, I remembered many of the principal characters, making me feel like I was catching up with people I hadn't seen in a while. Fenchurch is developing as the sort of hangdog character you can't help but root for; intense, persistent, stubborn, and fallible, there's a little Fenchurch in everyone I think. I enjoy watching him methodically pick at the threads of the crime until it all unravels alongside coping with the struggles in his personal life.

Overall, a great read with a fascinating case full of twists and turns to keep me guessing. Definitely recommend for fans of dark and gritty police procedurals.

Curator Chloe heads to Green Bay to consult on the restoration of an old Belgian-American farmhouse. When she arrives, she can't help but check out a historic summer kitchen - and discovers a dead body in the bake oven! Alongside the the bake oven mystery is the tale of Seraphine, a Belgian immigrant skilled in art of making lace. The hardships she faced forging a new life in Wisconsin in the mid 1800s provided a background for the events in the modern day mystery.

I can think of 2 authors off the top of my head who wreck me with their books and #1 is Kathleen Ernst. I just know this review won't do the book justice, it's so hard for me to detail why this book was so remarkable without giving away what makes it so remarkable! The author's ability to weave an emotionally haunting old-world story with a gripping modern day mystery is hypnotic! Just like Memory of Muskets, it will stay with me for a long, long time. Seraphine's strength in the face of such adversity and heartbreak was inspiring and the very detailed descriptions brings it all to life. It's one thing to read about life in earlier times, but the events are narrated so vividly, it's like being there.

There was a lot packed into this book without feeling burdensome or overwhelming, from Roelke's struggles to Seraphine's heartbreak to Chloe's tenacious investigating, and the lessons are all the same; strength, faith, and family will help you through any hardship. There's no better message for anyone to take away from this and I think it's what sets this series apart from so many others; that it effortlessly entertains, thrills and inspires.

Oh dear, now I'm waxing poetic but really, this was an excellent 5 star read that kept me glued to the pages. Can't wait for the next one!

NO STARS

I bought this for my Mom and THERE IS NO LINK TO A PDF AT THE END OF THE BOOK. This is a complete rip off and there is nothing you can do to print out any of the pictures. Shame on Amazon for continuing to offer it.

Belle Meyer, the proprietor of The Wild Goose culinary shop in Walnut Creek Square, knows she sells some great cookware but never thought it was killer cookware until one of her customers is found dead - smacked with a frying pan from her shop. Belle can't help but do a bit of poking into the matter, much to the consternation of Detective Hawkes.

What a fun, charming little book! It puts the "cozy" in cozy mystery with a cute small town, an adorable cat, fun characters (many of which had food related names, which made me smile. Nathan Eclair!) and lots of food related quips sprinkled liberally throughout. I enjoyed the plot, there were a lot of suspects, some who seemed more likely than others. There were lots of twists to keep me guessing and the reveal at the end was a little surprising and very satisfying.

A very enjoyable book and I look forward to reading the next one in the series. I would've loved to see a few recipes at the end of the book, some of the demos Belle made in the shop sounded divine and I love a good baking project. And the measuring spoon necklace given to Belle by her boyfriend Kenneth made me realize this was something I never knew I needed in my life!

In the 4th Molly Sutton mystery, she's teamed up with former Gendarme Ben to find out who killed Iris, the most beautiful woman in the tiny village of Castillac. The investigation uncovers a tangled web of motive, not without raising a few eyebrows along the way. The author did a great job of capturing the tragedy of the case; almost a tale of lost love and dreams. It left me a little misty in some spots and was a good, solid read. I would've loved to have seen more of Iris before she died, so that's part of the tragedy right there. I also liked how solving the case came down to the tiny details noticed by Molly, it was a real Sherlock Holmes moment. And as always, the villagers lend a colorful background to add richness to the story, I love all of the going-on around the village, it makes me feel like I'm there.

While I first thought that the way Ben and Molly came together in the last book felt disingenuous to me, I now feel like their relationship is developing very realisticly. You know, how in any new relationship, you have that period of feeling each other out, finally seeing each other as they really are so yeah...I'd have to say that it's more true to life than the happily ever after I usually see in books.

I really enjoy this series and look forward to many more adventures in France, but I have to say that all the tasty pastries in this book tempt me into cheating on my diet. *sigh*