Murder in an Italian Piazza - Michael Falco

 Murder in an Italian Piazza - Michael Falco

Pub. Date: Sept. 30, 2025

She read

A known opera diva, Carlotta, has come home to Positano for an unannounced concert. She wants to practice for her daughter’s upcoming wedding to a billionaire. She is staying at Bella Bella, the B & B run by the young widow, Bria. Bria is known in the coastal town for her ability to solve murders. Carlotta is not welcomed by everybody due to her past behavior. When her pianist is found murdered, Bria is determined to investigate. She is assisting her boyfriend, who happens to be the chief of police. The investigation uncovers a web of deep-seated family secrets, some that have been hidden for years.

This is the third installment in the Bria Bartolucci mystery series. While it can be enjoyed as a standalone novel, it would be beneficial to have read at least one of the previous books to fully appreciate the recurring cast of colorful characters.

I enjoy cozy mysteries set in Italy. Unlike the UK version, where tea and biscuits are the norm, Italian mysteries offer a blend of strong coffee and delectable pastries. The characters here are quirky yet charming, adding to the appeal of the story. I like the use of Italian phrases, most of which are translated.

The plot is filled with twists, turns, and red herrings. While the writing can be a bit slow and wordy at times, it is an entertaining read overall. 

Thanks to @netgalley and @KensingtonBooks and #KensingtonCozies for the ARC.

****

The Eternal Forest - Elena Sheppard

 The Eternal Forest A Memoir of the Cuban Diaspora - Elena Sheppard

Pub. Date: Sept. 30, 2025

She read

Beautifully and lovingly written, this is the story of one family’s flight from Cuba to the United States. Intermingled with a thorough, but not overwhelming history of Cuba, it delves into the lives of three generations of Cuban women and their extended family. Is it not often the women who hold the families together and are the guardians of memories? 

I enjoyed learning more about the history of this island nation and, in fact, saw some concerning parallels that serve as a cautionary for our times.…rewriting history, making people doubt, making people forget, maps changing when government changes. 

As the author recounts her family history, I couldn’t help but smile at some of the stories and how it’s often the case that there are several different versions of how events unfolded. Most impressive is the lifelong love and caring that the author and her mother expressed for the matriarch of the family, the abuela who, with her husband, made the difficult decision to flee Cuba upon the rise of Fidel Castro. Despite leaving behind the island they had called home, there is always a pull and emotional connection that binds them to it, a connection that spans generations. 

Thanks to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for the DRC.

****

See No Evil - D.S. Butler

 See No Evil - D.S. Butler

Pub. Date: Sept. 2, 2025

She read

D.S. Karen Hart and her fiancé, Mike, are about to announce their engagement to his family when they discover the body of his mother bludgeoned to death, with her eyes sewn shut. Karen is too close to the case and is told she cannot participate in the investigation. But, of course, that doesn’t stop her. Secrets are revealed about Mike’s mother, and Karen finds herself and Mike in danger. 

This fast-paced, well-plotted, suspenseful mystery is filled with twists that keep the reader guessing. I couldn't put the book down. D.S. Butler is another author who always captures my attention and doesn't let go. I enjoy the main character, as well as her supporting team.  Karen is engaging, capable, empathetic, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly, although in this story she does take some imprudent chances.  Her team is composed of likable, supportive, well-developed characters.   

The eleventh in the Karen Hart series, this is the seventh I have read.  Although the main players’ stories progress with successive books, each installment can be read as a stand-alone.

Fans of British police procedurals will enjoy this well-written book, as well as others in the series. I look forward to reading the next one for another entertaining read.  

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

*****

What We Can Know - Ian McEwan

 What We Can Know - Ian McEwan

Pub. Date: Sept. 23, 2025

She read

In the next century, due to climate and nuclear disasters, Britain is a series of archipelagos. Humanities academic Tom Metcalfe is obsessed with finding a lost poem from 2014, a supposed masterpiece. When he finds a clue as to the possible location of the only copy that was ever made, he sets off to locate it. In the second part of the book, the reader learns the true events surrounding the poem.

I don’t typically choose futuristic or dystopian novels. But I like Ian McEwan’s writing, and when I read the synopsis about the apocalyptic future and with what is going on right now in the world, it didn’t seem so science fiction to me.

There is such depth to this story.  There were many passages that I saved (I read ebooks, so I screen shoot) to go back to revisit and savor. There is a wealth of thought-provoking ideas. Most germane for me are the astute and unsettling observations of the present political situation and climate denial and the dystopian consequences it could bring. The novel also explores themes of legacy, the persistence of myths (or shadows of truth), guilt, relationships, and the encroachment of technology on our privacy.

The novel poses an important question: How much do we truly know about the past? Despite the enduring legacy of what lives on in the digital realm, what can we know?

The tempo shifts in the second part of the book.  Some readers will prefer the first section, others the second. 

Thanks to #NetGalley and @aaknopf for the  DRC.

*****

The Couple's Secret - Lisa Regan

 The Couple's Secret  - Lisa Regan

Pub. Date: Sept. 1, 2025

She read

Seven years ago, an engaged couple vanished on their way home from dinner, leaving three children to fend for themselves. Their disappearance remained an unsolved mystery until a submerged car containing their bodies is found three hours away in Denton, Pa., the jurisdiction of Detective Lisa Regan. When it is discovered they were murdered, Lisa and her team reopen the case to find the culprit. As the investigation unfolds, surprising secrets are revealed.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Josie is trying to establish a relationship as a new guardian of a teenager (the cliffhanger ending of the last installment of this series), dealing with husband Noah’s PTSD, and planning a vow renewal ceremony with him.

Cleverly plotted, this is a compelling, twisty mystery with elements of psychological thriller and family drama. Readers will be privy to more and more of the personal aspects of Josie and Noah’s life as well as gaining a little insight into the relatively new character of Turner, annoying enigma that he is. 

I enjoy seeing Regan’s characters show growth and change with time and experience. I like Josie.  She is a capable, intelligent, though vulnerable young woman. 

This is book #23 in the series and I have read all of them, as it is one of my favorites.  Regan does a good job of filling in pertinent information in characters’ backstories so it does work as a standalone, although I do recommend trying to read some if not all of the prior stories. 

If you like well  written, gripping, police procedurals/thrillers, I highly recommend this book/series.  I can’t wait for #24. 

Thanks  to @NetGalley and @BookOuture for the DRC.

*****

In the Time of Five Pumpkins - Alexander McCall Smith

 In the Time of Five Pumpkins - Alexander  Mc Call Smith

Pub. Date: Sept. 30, 2025

She read

This is the twenty sixth in the captivating No.1 Ladies Detective series. The beloved characters, including the talking shoes, are all back.

Precious Ramotse and her associate, who has yet again given herself a new title, are approached by a man who seeks their help in investigating his wife. As they delve into the case, there are some unexpected twists. Meanwhile, her husband, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni, has a new friend, a prosperous man in the auto business. The women and Charlie harbor suspicions about this new friend’s ulterior motives. 

Mma Ramotswe, as always, demonstrates her remarkable ability to devise clever and successful solutions to problems. Her gentle demeanor and unwavering optimism in finding the positive in even the most challenging situations offer a sense of comfort and solace. Her wisdom is profound in its simplicity.

With its intriguing plotlines and colorful characters, this is another delightful addition to the series. It’s an ideal choice for a cozy afternoon or evening read, accompanied by a warm pot of tea. Fans of McCall Smith’s gentle prose and insightful musings will undoubtedly find this latest endeavor to be a welcome addition to their reading list.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @aaknopf for the DRC. 

*****

The Girl From Devil's Lake - J.A. Jance

 The Girl From Devil's Lake - J.A. Jance

Pub. Date: Sept. 30, 2025

She read

Sheriff Joanna Brady is busy with her family preparing for the holidays and the upcoming marriage of her daughter. All that is put on hold when the body of a young child is discovered. Clues suggest that this is not the first time the perpetrator has killed. As the mystery unfolds, Brady uncovers a nationwide trail of murders spanning decades.

I haven’t read a Jance novel in years, and despite this being the twenty-first Joanna Brady story, it is the first in the series that I have read.  Credit the author that despite what must be a lot of background history for the repeating characters, this worked well as a standalone, and I really liked it.

This fast-paced and riveting read is a journey through different timelines, providing insight into the background and mind of a serial killer. That narrative parallels the police procedural, solving a murder that unexpectedly spirals into a much larger and more complex mystery. Throughout the story, the humanity of the victims and their families is never forgotten.

This reads like a true crime novel.  I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. A five star read for me.

Thanks to #NetGalley and @WilliamMorrowBooks for the DRC.

*****