I’m sharing my review for A Body in the Banjo by Elaine Spires, a historical mystery set in Dagenham #blogtour #bookreview
I’m sharing my review for A Body in the Banjo by Elaine Spires, a historical mystery set in Dagenham
Here’s the blurb
It’s November 1958 and Dagenham is excitedly awaiting Bonfire Night. Cissie Partridge isn’t too keen on fireworks but she generously donates to the local children doing Penny for the guy. Cissie is content with her lot. She loves her husband Harold. She shops, she cooks, she reads at every opportunity and she volunteers at the Dockland Settlement. Observant and sharp, she gets on with all her neighbours. Then, one morning, she finds a body…
A Body in the Banjo is an historical mystery set in 1958, just before Bonfire Night.
It is a story of a small community and one woman in particualar, Cissie, who doesn’t so much laud anything over her neighbours, but is, perhaps, a little bit of a busy body, although not so much as one who spends all her time watching her neighbours. No, instead Cissie listens to their comings and goings through the open bedroom window each night.
This is a story very much following the minutae of Cissie’s day to day existence as a 1950s housewife, and while some of it feels a little repetitive, the finale does build to a fine mystery which makes absolute sense of all the noise’s Cissie hears on the fateful night.
A really solid mystery, with a normal woman as the main character, although there are also others who take the narrative from time to time. I’m sure fans of historical mysteries will enjoy the story.
Meet the author
Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine also writes plays and her short film Only the Lonely was made by Dan Films and won the Groucho Club Best Short Film Award 2019 and two Silver Awards at WOFFF 2019.
I’m delighted to welcome Harriet Taggart and Peter Stephenson and their book, The Witch of Godstow Abbey, Murders in the Abbey Series, to the blog with an excerpt.
Excerpt
From Chapter 1 – Bones of the Innocent
The autumn sun was starting to set, signaling that it was time to leave the garden, perform their ablutions and go to the chapel for Vespers. But before they could move, Isabel’s voice rang out from the far side of the garden, screaming again and again, “Sister, Sister, come quickly!”
“What on earth is it, child? Are you injured?”
Isabel was breathless. “No, Sister, no. But you must come. Hurry!” And the screaming broke out once more, raw with terror.
Agnes walked rapidly around to the other side, where Isabel was on her hands and knees, a garden claw waving wildly in her hand. There on the ground in front of Isabel, half buried in the soft, freshly-turned earth, were three tiny bodies.
Pale and shaking, Isabel could scarcely speak. She tried to catch her breath, but to no avail. “These are b… b… babies, sister. Wh.. wh… who would kill newborn infants like this?
Here’s the Blurb
A widowed academic investigating strange historical practices gets drawn back in time and into the year 1299 in Oxford. Join a cast of compelling characters-nuns, novices and outsiders-as they battle the forces of darkness. Enter their struggle against evil, clandestine organizations. Join their life-threatening fight to protect each other, be willing to die for each other, and occasionally fall in love.
Will heroic love and righteous pursuit of justice triumph? Will the horror-inducing villain be found out and overthrown? Or will the courageous troop of those fighting for what is good be overpowered and taken captive?
Set in Oxford, England, in the year 1299, a struggle takes place between the sisters of the local convent and a strange, terrifying local evil society. They discover a secret organization of men who perform unspeakable deeds. The lives of several sisters are in danger.
Join Mother Alice, Sister Agnes and Isabel, along with Lady Beatrix and Lady Harriet, as they confront and do battle with an evil, secret society intent on attacking them, taking over the convent and sacrificing a young woman.
If you love stories that keep you turning pages while imparting fascinating accounts of the past, this latest mystery in the “Murders in the Abbey” series will tingle your spine.
Praise for The Witch of Godstow Abbey:
‘Richly atmospheric and quietly gripping, “The Witch of Godstow Abbey” is a worthy addition to your bookshelf.’
Lady Harriet holds the legal title “Lady of the Manor,” as defined under English law, and traces her ancestry to Charlemagne’s royal line.
A lifelong reader and devoted genealogist for nearly fifty years, Harriet has always had a passion for stories, whether they are buried in the past or found in the pages of a good book. She is the co-author of We Are Manx, a self-published family saga that explores her Manx heritage and the history of the Isle of Man in rich detail.
She’s also a photographer who prefers being behind the lens, a word lover addicted to word games, and a fan of wooden jigsaw puzzles. She has traveled extensively, with a deep appreciation for history, diverse cultures, and the unexpected joys that can be found away from home. Her career spanned volunteerism, real estate, and systems administration, but now she happily devotes her time to more creative pursuits.
As she puts it: “I’m old enough for Medicare, but not quite old enough to get a birthday card from King Charles—were I a Brit.”
The Witch of Godstow Abbey, written in partnership with Dr. Peter Stephenson, marks her first (but certainly not last) foray into historical fiction. With photography, she creates books of images; with storytelling, she creates images made of words.
Dr. Peter Stephenson has written or contributed to over twenty books, all but one of which are non-fiction technical books. He has published over 1,000 papers in technical journals, technical trade journals, and peer-reviewed legal journals. One of his peer-reviewed papers has over 15,400 downloads.
In addition to writing, Dr. Stephenson has been playing blues and Americana music for 70 years. It is through that performing, and after earning a PhD from Oxford Brookes University, that he was given the appellation “Doc” by the owner of one of his performance venues.
Having visited Oxford several times and being employed by a UK company in nearby Malvern, it was only natural that he would set his tales in Oxfordshire. His academic experience in Oxford town sealed the deal and resulted in his first historical novel, The Whispering Dead of Rewley Abbey—Book 1 in the “Murders in the Abbey” series—which reached the Amazon Kindle bestseller list and won a Pencraft award for literary excellence in the winter of 2025. He now writes with his collaborator and writing partner, Lady Harriet.
Dr. Stephenson lives with two Savannah cats on a pond in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Starting a “new” career at the age of 80, Doc reckons that he has only about the next 20 years to finish the series and retire – again – perhaps this time to Oxford.
Today, I’m excited to share my review for Murder on the Cricket Green, the fourth book in Catherine Coles delightful 1940s cozy crime series #blogtour #MarthaMillerMystery
Here’s the blurb
Westleham Village, May 1948
The villagers of Westleham are excited for the first village cricket match since the end of the war. But Martha Miller has more pressing concerns – namely, the sudden reappearance of her husband, Stan, missing for two years and acting as though nothing has happened.
Martha doesn’t know what to feel, especially now that his return threatens her growing fondness for the kind-hearted village vicar, Luke. Yet she’s not the only one unsettled by Stan’s return…
As the match begins and the crowd cheers, Stan suddenly collapses – dead before he hits the ground. And all eyes turn to Martha.
To clear her name, she must uncover the truth about Stan’s missing years and his sudden reappearance. But in a village this small, everyone has something to hide. Will Martha’s amateur sleuthing find the real killer or will she pay the price for someone else’s deadly deed?
Let the investigation commence!
Find out if Martha and Luke can catch the killer in a brand new Martha Miller mystery from bestselling author Catherine Coles, perfect for fans of Lee Strauss and Beth Byers!
Murder on the Cricket Green is the fourth book in the Martha Miller historical cosy mystery series. I’ve read the previous books in this series, but I don’t hink it’s necessarily necessary for those looking for a lovely cosy mystery to read (there will be some elements that might not be understood, but they will be quickly picked up).
It’s always lovely to spend time with Martha and her allies (and enemies) in this quaint village. This latest book is a delightful, quick read, where we can all play ‘guess the murderer’ as there are any number of suspects.
Always a sure hit, this story is a light-hearted, fun, quick read. Let’s hope it’s not too long until we’re back with Martha.
Catherine Coles writes bestselling cosy mysteries set in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie series is based in North Yorkshire in the 1920’s and Catherine herself lives in Hull with her family and two spoiled dogs.
I’m reviewing the new book in the Armstrong and Oscar Cozy Italian Mysteries, Murder at the Duomo by TA Williams #BookReview #BlogTour #CosyCrime #ContemporaryCrime
Here’s the blurb
Even angels can have a dark side…
As the sticky heat of August settles over Florence, Dan Armstrong is ready for a well-earned break—sightseeing with fiancée Anna, daughter Tricia and her fiancé Shaun. But when a British man is found dead inside the city’s magnificent Duomo, Dan’s plans quickly change.
The victim, Tristan Angel, is a super-wealthy arms dealer with a saintly name and a devilish reputation. But what was he doing in the cathedral, and who decided to make it his final confession?
At Angel’s opulent villa in the hills of Fiesole, Dan and Commissario Virgilio encounter a colourful cast of suspects—each one hiding secrets and none too eager to talk. As tempers rise and the heat outside grows ever more intense, Dan and his four-legged sidekick, Oscar, must sniff out the truth before the killer strikes again.
Murder at the Duomo is somehow the 14th book in the Armstrong and Oscar mysteries, and I’ve read them all (apart from 1, which I seem to have missed).
This time, Dan and his friends in the Italian police force are faced with their most impossible case so far. Who killed Angel in the confessional at the Duomo, and how did they do it?
Often, these cases are very hard to solve until something becomes obvious to Dan or Oscar, and then they become quite clear-cut, but that’s not the case this time. It does make some aspects feel a little repetitive with such a small collection of suspects. However, when the solution finally becomes evident, the ending is quite exciting.
I do love these mysteries, even if they entirely put me off ever going to Tuscany, which is evidently too hot and too busy for my liking. I think I’ll let Dan and Oscar continue to enjoy it (or endure it) on my behalf.
Check out my reviews for earlier books in the series, and be sure to start at book 1, Murder in Tuscany.
Meet the author
T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. Trevor studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972. Trevor and his wife now live in Devon.
I’m delighted to share my review for Mrs Hudson and the Spirits’ Curse by Martin Davies, an intriguing Holmes-esque mystery #bookreview #mystery #HistoricalFiction
Here’s the blurb
An evil stalks London, blown in from the tropics. Stories of cursed giant rats and malign spirits haunt the garrets of the East London neighborhood of Limehouse. A group of merchants are dying one by one. The elementary choice to investigate these mysterious deaths is, of course, the team of Holmes and Dr. Watson. But the unique gifts of their housekeeper, Mrs. Hudson, and her orphaned assistant Flotsam, will also be needed to solve the case. Can she do it all under the nose of Sherlock himself?
Mrs Hudson and the Spirits’ Curse is an intriguing Holmes-esque tale where Sherlock Holmes is perhaps not the sharp observer of human nature we might expect, because that role goes to Mrs Hudson, his shadowy but exceedingly well-connected housekeeper. She has Flottie as her assistant, and Flottie has her own story running concurrently with the mystery brought to Holmes’ door.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It has a very Sherlock Holmes mystery to solve, and no end of obfuscation to contend with, while adding an ever greater element of grimy, Victorian London, and its denizens, to the mix through Mrs Hudson’s many connections with the mighty and the lowly..
That said, I did feel as though the resolution to all the mysteries were a little too elongated, although the final chapter, with Dr Watson bringing his accounting of the case to Mrs Hudson for her thoughts, did have me smiling once more.
A fine mystery, very Holmes-esque but with another side to it, that of Mrs Hudson.
Meet the author
Martin Davies is a writer and media consultant based in the UK.
He is the author of nine novels, including international bestseller ‘The Conjuror’s Bird’ which was a Richard and Judy Book Club selection, and which sold over 100,000 copies in the UK alone. ‘The Unicorn Road’ was chosen as one of The Times/WHSmith top paperbacks of the year, and ‘Havana Sleeping’ was shortlisted for an Historical Dagger award by the Crime Writers’ Association. Martin is also the author of a series of mystery stories about Sherlock Holmes’ housekeeper.
Martin Davies has travelled widely, including in the Middle East and India; substantial parts of ‘The Unicorn Road’ were written while travelling through Sicily, and his plan for ‘The Conjuror’s Bird’ was put together on a trekking holiday in Greenland.
When circumstances allow, he chooses to write in cafes or coffee shops, and often works in longhand on first drafts.
Martin Davies’ books have been translated into ten languages.
Today, I’m so excited to share my review for Flaming Murder by Simon Whaley (I loved this book) #cosycrime #humour #bookreview #blogtour
Here’s the blurb
Three dead bodies. Two murders. One missing Bonfire Night effigy.
With Bonfire Night looming, Aldermaston, the Eighth Marquess of Mortiforde, is feeling the heat.
Not only has someone stolen Mortiforde Millie—the town’s beloved fifteen-foot Bonfire Night effigy—just days before the town’s annual firework celebrations, but developer Rupert Rinde wants to torch Mortiforde’s heritage by building a waste incinerator on the historic Mortiforde Meadows. The locals are outraged, as is Rupert’s father, Sir Hugo, who owns the meadows. So when Sir Hugo is found dead, skewered by a medieval dagger, his widow begs Aldermaston to investigate.
Meanwhile, Sir Hugo had promised Aldermaston’s wife and her Ladies’ Legion the meadows for their new eco-friendly burial scheme. Now they’re desperate to plant their first body in the ground before the deal goes up in smoke.
So, when Aldermaston uncovers who stole Mortiforde Millie and why, he realises the waste incinerator project is designed to ignite some explosive repercussions.Can Aldermaston unmask a killer and save the Mortiforde Meadows before Bonfire Night erupts into chaos? Will the Ladies’ Legion bury a body before their dreams go up in flames? And can
Check out my review for Foraging for Murder (the second book in the series).
This review might be short and sweet. Don’t let that make you think I didn’t adore this book (and the previous two in the series as well).
Oh, how I love this series. I was very excited to discover the new release, and it doesn’t disappoint. Filled with the same delightful and irreverent humour and with a damn fine mystery to unravel in the background, it is joyful to spend time with these characters. It’s impossible to wax too lyrical about this series. The books are told with just the right amount of humour, the situations our characters find themselves in are hilarious without being stupid, and I simply love these books. Go read them. Now. (If you don’t snort at one particular element, then I don’t think you have my sense of humour. I’m just going to say it’s related to the burial.)
Meet the Author
Simon Whaley lives in rural Shropshire, having escaped from Greater London in the late 1990s. His first published piece was a word search puzzle, aged 17, and he’s since written over 1000 articles in publications as varied as BBC Countryfile, Country Walking, Cheshire Life, The People’s Friend, The Daily Express, The Observer, Outdoor Photography, Coast, The Simple Things and Writing Magazine. His first book, One Hundred Ways For A Dog To Train Its Human, was published by Hodder & Stoughton in September 2003, and spent three weeks on the UK’s Top Ten Non-Fiction paperback bestseller lists. (Lifetime sales now exceed over a quarter of a million copies.) He became a full-time writer in January 2004. He’s since written over a dozen non-fiction books, and recently published the third novel in his Marquess of Mortiforde cosy crime series.
Careful what you wish for. In Dark Chronicles, wishes have teeth.
Ten speculative tales brimming with twisted humour and delicious menace: a pepper that lets you in on other people’s thoughts, a radio show that predicts your fate, and a blood-thirsty ghost who refuses to let go.
Award-winning author Karmen Spiljak delivers a chilling and razor-sharp mix of twists and dark suspense, perfect for readers who like their stories to unsettle and linger.
Ten dark tales. Ten twisted fates. One thrilling collection.
Some of the Dark Chronicles are indeed Dark Chronicles, but I did know what I was letting myself in for, as I’ve read Karmen’s Pass the Cyanide short story collection too.
Each of these short stories offers something a little different, from the Smart House which might be more ghostly than Dana would like, to the joy of getting your heart’s desire (or not), these tales are intriguing and often thought-provoking as well.
I don’t often read short story collections, but when I do, I remember the joy of them. Grab this collection of dark tales and scare yourself, just a little bit.
Karmen Spiljak is Slovenian-Belgian author of suspense, horror and speculative fiction, a developmental editor and a book coach. Her short fiction has been awarded and anthologised. Her short story collection, Add Cyanide to Taste, won the 2022 IndieReader Discovery award for best short stories/Fiction and Pass the Cyanide won the 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards Bronze.
She lives in Belgrade with her husband, two mischievous cats and an undefined number of literary characters. Find out more about her writing on www.karmenspiljak.com .
I’m delighted to be reviewing The Locked Room by Holly Hepburn #histfic #cosycrime #1930s #bookreview #BakerStreet @rararesources #TheLockedRoom @theboldookclub #boldwoodbloggers @BoldwoodBooks @HollyH_Author
Here’s the blurb
The BRAND NEW instalment in Holly Hepburn’s Baker Street Mystery series – for fans of Sherlock Holmes! Join Harriet White in 1930’s London for another glorious Sherlock Holmes-inspired mystery, for fans of Nita Prose and Janice Hallett.
After a very close call on the Cambridgeshire Fens, Harriet White is about ready to hang up her deerstalker and settle back into her normal life, working in a bank on Baker Street. Until she discovers a letter in The Times newspaper challenging Sherlock Holmes to prove his status as the world’s greatest detective, by solving an impossible mystery. The letter, signed Professor James Moriarty, advises Holmes that the crime will be committed within the following seven days. There will be no further clues – Holmes himself must deduce which crime is the correct one to investigate.
Dismissing the letter as a prank, Harry goes about her business until news breaks of the theft of valuable jewel collection from a safe in an apparently locked room in a Mayfair townhouse.
Intrigued in spite of her misgivings, Harry dons a disguise and investigates. But as she begins to unpick the puzzle, a body is found. And now, a stranger, and far more deadly mystery begins to unfold around her…
The Locked Room is the third book in the Baker Street Mysteries. I’ve read books 1 and 2. Check out the review for The Missing Maid and The Cursed Writer.
The Locked Room is the third book in the Baker Street Mysteries, and I’ve read them all. While it is not necessary to have read the previous two books in the series, there are some threads that readers might miss if they begin with book 3 (and, of course, they will be missing out on the fun of reading the series from the beginning).
Our main character, Harriet, has two mysteries to solve in this latest book: determining the identity of her younger brother’s intended future wife and the theft of a priceless gem from a safe in a locked room. The twin mysteries unfold side by side and lead Harriet to some interesting locations.
What I really adore about this series of books is just how ‘Sherlock Holmes’ like they are – even the mysteries ring with familiarity from the Holmes stories, and yet are firmly placed in the 1930s. Harriet also interacts with the other characters in a way that feels very true to the time period. As much as we might not like it, she does have to masquerade in men’s clothing, and she does need the help of her male friend to get into all the places she needs to visit. The Locked Room is also as twisty as the previous two books.
Another fab mystery, thoroughly enjoyable, ripe with the smell of 1930s London, and very Holmes-eque in its resolution as well as the mystery itself.
Meet the author
Holly Hepburn writes escapist, swoonsome fiction that sweeps her readers into idyllic locations, from her native Cornwall to the windswept beauty of Orkney. She has turned her hand to cosy crime inspired by Sherlock Holmes himself. Holly lives in leafy Hertfordshire with her adorable partner in crime, Luna the Labrador.
I’m welcoming Jill Bray, and her historical mystery, A Brotherly Devotion, to the blog with an extract #blogtour #historicalmystery @rararesources @JillBray67
This extract is taken from the start of Chapter 18 after Lord Fitzwarren has been found to be the killer of Brother Clement.
Katherine found it difficult to believe that, in a short space of time, her whole world had changed once again. She had known the facts and the evidence that was put against Lord Fitzwarren, but she hadn’t given much thought as to how it would end. It was only yesterday that she had started to suspect him, and then earlier today, when she had journeyed with her father to speak with Edward; she had known for certain that he was the one who had so viciously murdered Brother Clement.
The banquet in the hall now felt quite surreal. She looked around at the rest of the guests, who had gone back to feasting and drinking at their tables, as though nothing had just happened. Yet, for her, everything had changed once more. Just a couple of days ago, she had been expecting to run away with Alexander in order to avoid marrying Lord Fitzwarren; and, up until yesterday, she had intended to keep to that plan. She had come to terms with having to give up everything; to lose contact with her sister and to disobey her father, in order to be with the man she loved. After sitting back down at the table next to her sister, she felt quite light-headed and reached out to pour herself a goblet of wine. She needed to consider, just what she was going to do next.
“Well, that wasn’t what I expected!” Angharad exclaimed, leaning over to her sister. “You knew, didn’t you?” She questioned Katherine.
“Not everything, and not finally until earlier today,” she admitted. “But even then, I couldn’t tell you. I hope you understand. Father needed to keep everything quiet, so that Lord Fitzwarren wouldn’t get to know.”
“This explains why you have been so distant. I still can’t believe that the man you were due to marry was a murderer. That’s quite a revelation.” Angharad leaned back in her chair. “So, why did it happen here tonight, at the banquet?”
“We went to Lord Fitzwarren’s manor earlier today to get Edward to safety and for father to arrest Lord Fitzwarren; but he wasn’t there,” Katherine told her. “Father didn’t want to raise any suspicion. And, as he knew Lord Fitzwarren would be here tonight, he agreed with Sir Robert that this evening would be a good opportunity to present the case against him.”
“Did father know before then, that Lord Fitzwarren had killed the monk?”
Katherine thought about it carefully. “He had spoken with Peter Beaumont and found out about Lord Fitzwarren’s sister, so I think he had his suspicions. But he had no proof, and that was the main thing.” Katherine took a drink of wine and relaxed back into her chair with a sigh of relief. “None of us were certain, until yesterday when I met Edward, and he showed me the dagger. Up until then, it was just a story father had been told by Peter Beaumont, who was a close friend of Hughs. One about how William’s devotion to his sister had been so consuming; and how she had taken her own life rather than live without the man she loved. That man was Hugh de Glanville, who became Brother Clement when he took Holy Orders. In Lord Williams eyes, the church took away his adored sister and then denied her a burial in consecrated ground. His grief and anger must have festered away inside him ever since her death and become sort of twisted. Then last week, and quite by chance; he came upon the man who had been the cause of all his sadness.” She took another sip of wine before continuing. “It was an accidental encounter as, from what father has told me, I don’t believe Brother Clement left the walls of the Abbey much. Lord Fitzwarren must have thought it was divine intervention, and he was being given a chance to mete out his own kind of justice.”
“So, he killed him?” Angharad stared at her.
“Yes, in order to avenge his sister.” Then, Katherine added more thoughtfully. “Such was his devotion to her.”
“And to think you were so nearly his wife.”
Here’s the blurb
YORK 1224: On a hot July night, Brother Clement is savagely murdered when returning from administering to Lady Maud de Mowbray.
Simon de Hale, Sheriff of Yorkshire, is in his office when Abbot Robert visits to inform him of the murder, and request that he take responsibility for investigating the killing.
Simon is unsure whether the murder is a crime against the Abbey, or if it is a more personal matter against the monk.
Commencing their investigation, Simon and his deputy, Adam, ride out to see Lady Maud de Mowbray at Overton – the last person to see Brother Clement alive. When they encounter her son, Roger de Mowbray, they both take an instant dislike to him.
Lady Mowbray reveals to Simon that she intends to leave her money to the Abbey, and Simon can see this being a motive for the monk’s murder, if her son was aware of this.
The investigation gathers pace and a murder weapon is found.
A banquet is held at the castle to honour the Royal Justice – during which, one of the guests is exposed as the murderer and apprehended. But that will not be the end of the story for Simon and his family.
Jill lives on the Island of Guernsey now, but is originally from Yorkshire. She has a love of early medieval history which led her to study the subject at Huddersfield College in the 1980’s. Working in Leeds at the time, meant that she had access to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society on their late night opening and following research, she wondered what the lives of the people she read about were actually like. This started a love of writing historical fiction, but her initial stories were never sent to a publisher. Life and work then intervened and writing was put to one side. It was only following a workshop held by the Guernsey Literary Festival in 2024 on writing historical fiction, that her love of writing was reignited. Her first novel ‘A Brotherly Devotion’ was published in July 2025.
2025 has been a challenging reading year for me. I’ve failed to hit my reading target of 100 books (although I’m not worried about that because hey, it’s just a bit of fun to even set a target), and there have been a few months where I barely read anything at all because ‘life’ got in the way. I’ve also noticed this year that my reading preferences have changed, moving even more towards mysteries and away from my writing genre of action and adventure historical fiction. I have also, however, joined my local book club, and so I’m reading one book each month to discuss in the group, and this means I’m not necessarily always reading books I would usually choose. This has been a bit of an eye-opener. In our book club, we do read the books, and we do talk about them. If you can find a book club like that, then I highly recommend it. It’s a great experience.
Goodreads (and The Storygraph) tell me I’ve read 82 books this year (as a point of note, I don’t usually put my audiobooks on multiple times (I listen to the same few audiobooks at night to help me sleep and I am almost word perfect on some of them these days)). As last year, I’ve not included my own books in this, which get read repeatedly while writing and editing.
My most read category (a third of all books) has been historical mysteries – (some of these might also be classified as cosy). I’ve read anything from The Rush by Beth Lewis, about the dash to Dawson City to mine for gold at the end of the nineteenth century, to Desolation by Keith Moray (set in the 1300s) and Monstrous Murder by Elizabeth R Andersen (also set in the aftermath of the Black Death) to a huge collection of early twentieth century mysteries, including Michelle Salter’s new series, Murder in Trafalgar Square. I think my favourite (and most surprising read) was The Bookseller of Inverness by SG MacLean (our first book club read, and my recommendation (there were opinions about it – which was brilliant – and I would warn it certainly helps if you know something about the Battle of Culloden and its aftermath). Click on the images to visit the reviews (if I’ve reviewed on the blog).
Behind historical mysteries in my reading year are just plain old contemporary mysteries. Again, some of these are also cozy reads. I don’t like my murder mysteries to be too graphic (when I was much younger, I read all the Scarpetta and Jonathan Kellerman novels and freaked myself out), and I’ve discovered that my preference is for a style known as ‘police procedural’ even when there are no police involved. I started the year with Death on Ice, which was a slow build but delightfully engaging, and ended with the equally brilliant The Retired Assassin’s Guide to Orchid Hunting – a fabulous New Zealand-based mystery (I’m going to read book 1 now), and Simon Whaley’s Flaming Murder (reviews to follow for these two books in Jan 2026). I also discovered Antony Johnston’s lovely Dog Sitter Detectives Series. These are such great books – quick reads but with compelling mysteries.
You can also check out my three favourite reads of 2025 over on Shepherd.
I do want to give a huge shout out to Kalahari Passage (which I’m classifying as historical fiction as its set in the 1960s (I think). This is a beautiful story, if sometimes a hard read. Do check it out.
What I’m classifying as thrillers came next – from the new Harlan Coben to the rather brilliant Dolos by a debut author, LH Fox, which almost had me understanding how cryptocurrency works, and is also my most visited review on the blog.
Six titles were historical romance. Jane Dunn, Melissa Addey and Susanna Dunlap all kept me entertained with their Regency romances, while The Ladies Road Guide to Utter Ruin could also be classified as a Regency romance, but I’ve popped it into the historical mystery category, as it certainly crosses over more into a mystery with the romance element in the background. (If you’ve not read Alison Goodman’s Dark Days Club books, then you’re missing a treat, my Regency fans – a hint of fantasy in the Regency era – what is not to love (still not convinced – I would compare it with Cassandra Claire’s Victorian trilogy).
I also read a couple of romance novels (one for Book Club) and certainly enjoyed some more than others:)
I didn’t read (or at least finish) many non-fiction titles in 2025 (I am still reading Max Adams’ Mercian Chronicles and I have his new title on Northumbria to read as well). My only complete historical non-fiction title for the year was that by Amy McElroy on Mary Tudor – a great depiction which I found very inspiring. Mary is so often overlooked.
The title I enjoyed the most out of the other non-fiction reads was You Know the Drill, an account of a dentist’s life. I made myself read it because I’m so terrified of the dentist. Has it helped? Maybe.
I also read a writing guide, which I enjoyed. It’s always intriguing to discover how other people write their stories. Check out Planning the Perfect Plot.
I’ve also half-read many other titles (apologies to those authors). Hopefully, I’ll get back to them when I have time in 2026. Every year I explain I’m a ‘mood’ reader, and if something isn’t working for me at that moment, it doesn’t mean I won’t come back to it when I fancy something different.
One genre I’ve really neglected is fantasy (aside from the Discworld audios), although I have managed a few short story collections (reviews to follow). I will need to get back to it. I have a few series I need to finish. Maybe the problem is, I don’t want to finish them. We shall see.
Our local book club started in August 2025, and so far we’ve read four very different titles. The Bookseller of Inverness was my choice, and I’m slowly gathering all of Shona’s other titles, including her new release for Feb 2026. Next, we tried Joanne Harris’ Five Quarters of the Orange (which I didn’t like for very different reasons to the ones I thought when I started reading). We then tried The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan, and most agreed the one element of the story was much better than the other. We ended the year with Before I Go to Sleep by SJ Watson – a novel that was incredibly slow, with something of a predicatable ending (and no, I hadn’t seen the movie). I’m excited to see what we read in 2026. And as you can see, there’s a great variety of titles there. When it’s my turn to pick again I will be championing some of my fellow indie/Boldwood authors.
Here’s to 2026 and all the reading I hope to enjoy.
I read a lot of books by my fellow Boldwood authors, and I’m also a host for a couple of blog tour organisers. This means I often get to read books before everyone else. Yay.
MJ Porter 