The Heights - Ian Rankin

 The Heights - Ian Rankin

Pub. Date: Nov. 3, 2026

She Read

When the nighttime concierge in The Heights, an ultra- luxury apartment tower overlooking Hyde Park, is murdered, suspicion falls on a variety of wealthy individuals, including an actress, a pop star, a gangster, an art dealer, a mysterious international heiress. Detective Sergeant Gillian Gish and her colleagues are charged with unraveling the hidden secrets of some of London’s elite. 

I have read a few of Ian Rankin’s novels before…most notably some from the John Rebus series. I found them to be engaging, fast paced reads. This book, however, was slow paced and rather bland. There are many characters which at times was a bit confusing.  I had to really concentrate to keep  them straight. 

Despite these shortcomings, the book serves as an insightful exploration of what Rankin refers to as “money London” and “UHNW” (ultra-high net worth), shedding light on the differential treatment often received by individuals in this category from officials.

I did enjoy the main character, DS Gish and would be eager to read more stories featuring her. 

Thanks to @NetGalley and @GrandCentralPub for the DRC.

****

All Birds Have Anxiety - Kathy Hoopmann

 All Birds Have Anxiety - Kathy Hoopman

Pub. Date: Sept 24, 2026

She read

I love this book.

 Hoopman does an exceptional job of clearly explaining the feelings and physical symptoms of anxiety in a way that can be understood by children and yet also helpful for adults. She provides strategies for managing stress and anxiety. This approach is wonderfully non-threatening and offers a helpful way to cope with those worrisome feelings.

The accompanying bird photos are beautiful and perfectly illustrate the ideas being discussed.  Some are incredibly cute, even comical, and are sure to bring smiles to the faces of children and adults alike. 

This book is an excellent resource for parents, counselors and teachers. It is part of the  All Animals series that explores other topics such as autism spectrum and ADHD.

Thanks to @NetGalley and John Murray Press #SheldonPress for the DRC.

*****

Hanging and Burning - Walter Mosley

 Hanging and Burning - Walter Mosley

Pub. Date: Oct. 20, 2026

She read

At his grandmother’s request, private investigator Joe King Oliver embarks on a quest to find the granddaughter of one of her fellow cancer patients.This journey takes him from LA to New York and back again, revealing a dark history of gangsters and violence. 

It has been quite a while since I last read a Walter Mosley book, and although this is the fourth installment in the King Oliver series, it is the first I have read.

There are many characters who seem to drift in and out of the narrative. While I appreciated the vivid descriptions of the characters’ clothing choices, particularly Oliver’s, the story itself failed to resonate with me. Mosley fans will undoubtedly enjoy this addition to his extensive body of work, but it simply wasn’t for me.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @LittleBrown for the DRC.

***

Missing Molly - Natalie Barelli

 Missing Molly - Natalie Barelli

Pub. Date: Oct. 20, 2026

She read

Except for her occasional panic attacks, Rachel lives a quiet life with her daughter and partner. She works at a struggling local newspaper. To revive itself, the paper embarks on a podcast about a gruesome murder that occurred twelve years ago. A mother, father, and one daughter were found clubbed to death.  The youngest daughter, Molly, has not been seen since.  Someone was charged with the crime but never tried as he committed suicide. Initially, Rachel fights doing the podcast because she knows the truth as she is the Molly who is missing. However, she eventually joins in on the research, which puts her and others' lives in grave danger. 

While I thought it well written, this story troubled me. I couldn’t understand why Rachel wouldn’t simply quit her job and distance herself from the story instead of becoming so deeply involved and putting her, her daughter, and her husband’s lives at risk.  As she made one poor choice after another, I found it difficult to believe that she had survived on her own for so long, including a time when she lived on the streets.

Despite these reservations, I couldn’t put the book down. 

After I read the book, I discovered that it was originally published in 2018; I don’t know if it was updated for this new release in 2026.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @poisonedpress for the DRC.

****

Easy Anti-Inflammatory Diet Air Fryer Cookbook Julie Andrews, MS, RDN, CD, FAND

 

Easy Anti-Inflammatory Diet Air Fryer Cookbook -Julie Andrews, MS, RDN, CD, FAND

Pub. Date: Oct. 16, 2026

She read

Here are 100 step-by-step recipes that support an anti inflammatory diet and are made in an air fryer. The recipes are introduced with an over view of an anti inflammatory diet as well as tips for using an air fryer. 

The recipes are organized into sections by categories, and there are also useful charts such as air fryer cooking times and temperatures for a variety of foods. Each recipe also notes other diets it may satisfy, such as gluten-free, low/carb, and vegan. Many of the recipes look very tempting.

I read an advanced readers digital copy and would have preferred more photos; perhaps they will be included in the hard copy book. As someone who hates to cook, I also would have liked some even simpler recipes with very limited ingredients. Overall, this is a good introduction to using an air fryer to maintain a healthy, anti inflammatory diet. 

Thanks to @NetGalley and @ZeitgeistPublishing for the DRC.

****

Split Screen - Lee Goldberg

 Split Screen - Lee Goldberg

Pub. Date: Oct. 20,2026

she read

Eve Ronin is a minor celebrity, as some of her actions in the past were caught on video, went viral, and, much to the consternation of some in the LA County Sheriff Department, led to her early promotion to detective.  Much to her dismay, a TV series has been made based on her exploits. She is partnered with experienced detective Duncan “Donuts" Pavone who never passes up the opportunity for food. 

Pavone has been sidelined to a desk job, and Eve is pushed into helping the new sheriff in town promote the department on social media. Part of that involves allowing the actress who portrays her in the TV series to do a ride-along. When the actress is shot by gunmen shouting “Die, Ronin, die”, Eve takes it upon herself to find them while also investigating the death of another actress, the murder of a local doctor, the questionable activities of a step-sister she never knew she had, and an explosion at the police shooting range. 

This is the seventh in the Eve Ronin series; I have read all of them, although this would work as a standalone.  Lee Goldberg’s books are well-written, fast-paced, and feature good character development. I particularly enjoy the humor displayed by some of the characters. While the actions and plots may sometimes stretch the imagination, they are  never too far-fetched.

Eve is juggling multiple cases, and Goldberg seamlessly transitions from one to another. Eve is a great character - a loose cannon who is determined and unrelenting. 

I also enjoy the crossovers of other of Goldberg's series characters that he includes. In this book, Eve has the opportunity to work with Sharpe and Walker, arson investigators from another of his popular series. Eve has appeared in some of the Sharpe and Walker installments. 

I would recommend this series to fans of mysteries/thrillers/police procedurals, especially those featuring personable main characters. All of the books do work as standalone novels.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @AmazonPublishing #ThomasandMercer for the DRC.

****

Bark Humbug - David Rosenfelt

 Bark Humbug - David Rosenfelt

Pub. Date: Oct. 27, 2026

This is the 34th in the Andy Carpenter series and its annual holiday installment. It would work as a standalone.  Andy is an irascible, but somehow charming defense attorney. He doesn’t really want to try cases and, fortunately, his wealth allows him to choose only those in which he believes. He has an interesting team with whom he works, including his wife, Laurie, a former police officer. He and Laurie also founded the Tara Foundation for rescue dogs, named for his loyal golden retriever. 

The mayor of Paterson, NJ, who is also a gubernatorial candidate, is gunned down along with one of his donors. The prime suspect is Jon, a former Marine raider, with PTSD. Jon’s sister tricks Andy into taking the case, which has evidence supporting both Jon’s guilt and innocence. As Andy's investigation proceeds, rampant political corruption is uncovered.

 Bark Humbug is an entertaining blend of mystery and legal thriller with comedic elements. With a solid plot, colorful characterizations, twists, turns, courtroom drama, and great humor, this is a very enjoyable, fast-paced read. What truly sets Rosenfelt’s writing apart is his ability to infuse humor throughout his stories, particularly through Andy’s witty and snarky remarks. This is one of the few series I have ever read (and I have read many) that consistently makes me laugh out loud.

I look forward to each addition to this series. It is one of my  “must reads” whenever a new one is available.  Every book is a delight.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress and @Minotaur_Books for the DRC.

*****