Murder of a Beekeeper

 

Murder of a Beekeeper by P.F. Ford
12/1/26; 270 pages (est.)
Joffe Books 

Murder of a Beekeeper by P.F. Ford is a highly recommended cozy mystery featuring retired detective Norman Norman and his wife Faye.

Norman and Faye moved 2 months ago to Pontefelin, Wales, where he is working on establishing a garden for the first time and walking their dog, Trudy. Faye, who was a journalist, is now a part time secretary at the Woman's Institute (WI) area office. The benefit of Faye's part time job is that she is there for all the rumors and gossip that flies through a small village. Apparently, Evan Griffths, a local beekeeper, has had bees dying and he very vocally blamed Elin Thomas, a local herbalist. Megan Jones, the niece of Evan, is living with him after a business failure and bought a whole lot of cleaning supplies. Norman also uncovers information when walking Trudy, for example Gwenllian's dog Betsy was poisoned and she blames Sian Powell and his iffy compost.

Then Trudy alert him to something wrong and Norman finds Evan dead, by his beehives. As a retired DS, he also notices several other clues such as the funny looking compost on the ground by the hives and the wet clay on Evan's boots. He points out what he notices to Detective Llewellyn, who is sure the death is from natural causes and is dismissive of Norman's observations and experience. This sets both Norman and Faye into action as they carefully conduct their own investigation, working their way through the many feuds and rumors in the village. 

This is a rather charming cozy mystery that I found quite appealing. It doesn't have the tension, gruesome crime scenes, frantic pace, and numerous twists often found in more gritty police procedurals, but what it does have is a steady, gentle pace, and a low key, careful investigation by Norman and Faye. Much of the sleuthing is done while dog walking, attending WI or Garden Club meetings, at the pub, or church. This is my first Norman Norman book, so I have no idea if his current pace reflects his previous police work. It does fit a certain reading niche when you need something more gentle, but still very engaging to read. 

Norman's concern and worry over starting his garden was quite humorous, especially if you've been gardening for years without a second thought. Trudy's digging in the garden or by the fence was also a nice touch and felt like a realistic touch that kept the mystery grounded in people simply living their lives while simultaneously solving a murder mystery. This is the start of a new series.

Murder of a Beekeeper is a wonderful choice for those who like cozy mysteries set in Wales. Thanks to Joffe Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Woman in Car 13

 

The Woman in Car 13 by D E White
12/3/26; 288 pages
Boldwood Books 

The Woman in Car 13 by D E White is a highly recommended thriller, part physical, part psychological. In the prologue, Hannah is working late at night at Jex Diagnostics, a research and healthcare company when she receives a text warning her: "Be careful Hannah. They know what you are doing." 

The next day, Kayla, a single mom who cleans homes and also works part time for the fair is waiting for her ice cream freezer to be repaired so she takes a ride on the Big Wheel. Suddenly the wheel stops and she finds herself in car 13, fifteen meters above the ground. Her first thought is for her daughter Millie, then she texts Alun, her boss, and asks how long before the fix. He's sent his brother Danny for the part and says 20 minutes, so Kayla looks around at her lofty view and pulls out her phone to film. When she sees her employer and friend, Hannah, out jogging being suddenly escorted into a black car by three men, she is shocked. Does she recognize the driver? Has she just witnessed a kidnapping?

Kayla's neighbor Mr. Avers, who works at the Medical Regulation Authority, can hear the screams from the park. He is in a moral dilemma. Close to retirement, he's allowed himself to be paid, and now physically threatened, to ignore anomalies in the data. At this time, Kayla, and the other riders on the wheel, after experiencing some starts and stops, they are still trapped long past the 20 minutes. Now, when Kayla's about four meters above the ground, the whole Big Wheel begins to fall sideways, injuring and trapping the riders. Kayla is trapped, unable to contact Hannah to see if she is okay, she finds a friend to pick up Millie from school and awaits rescue with the others.

Having Kayla trapped on the Big Wheel is a successfully used plot device to grab your attention. It also serves to allow her to witness something that looks nefarious while she's unable to act and introduces some minor characters. The real plot/point of the novel is something entirely different and involves a global conspiracy involving Jex Diagnostics. Each chapter is through a different character's point-of-view, allowing the reader to piece together the greater conspiracy going on and how several characters are involved, even peripherally, in the larger picture. 

The tension over the conspiracy, although ultimately this is a bigger, more dangerous and far reaching element, never quite meets the sense of danger and tension that readers will experience from the opening and subsequent Big Wheel stopping and then falling. A fear of heights is real and used effectively within the novel. The action does pick up again, the sense of danger takes a new form, all the various plot points come together at the end, and there are several surprising twists. The conclusion was very satisfying.

Kayla is a fully realized character with strengths and weaknesses. She's intelligent and you will wish her the best as you learn about her background as she struggles just to get by and care for her daughter. This helps hold your attention. The other minor characters also receive some further development to portray them as individuals and hold your attention while the bigger conspiracy is revealed. 

The Woman in Car 13 is a great choice for those who enjoy thrillers involving conspiracies. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Pact

 

The Pact by Teri Terry
12/1/26; 304 pages
Boldwood Books 

The Pact by Teri Terry is a recommended psychological thriller. Get the popcorn ready, grab a seltzer, set disbelief aside, and prepared for an entertaining, soapy drama.

Isobel is found dead at the foot of the cliff where seventeen years ago her boarding school mate Maggie died after a fall from a cliff. Both deaths were ruled a suicide. Four former friends from the same boarding school, Clem, Bex, Katya, and Jules, are preparing to attend Isobel's funeral and also remembering the pact they made to never speak about what happened  to Maggie all those years ago. Now they have all received the same anonymous  text, "One is for sorrow," after Isobels death, and the vaguely sinister messages continues. Does someone know what happened years ago?

The narrative is told through chapters from the point-of-view of Clem and Bex. All of these women are very different characters. Bex has two kids, Olly, 5, and Nora, 1 1/2, is heading toward a contentious divorce, and trying to work full time. This is in stark contrast to the other women. Clem is wealthy, the wife of an MP, and has 3 children and a nanny to watch them. Jules is a wealthy designer, and Katya coaches athletes for Olympic competition. Clem, Jules and Isobel were the fast friends from their boarding school days, with Bex, and Katya on the sideline. Bex really had little contact with these woman after school beyond some with her former roommate Katya.  

You have to set disbelief aside while reading. Personally, I struggled with Bex suddenly starting a relationship with Liam. It seemed very unrealistic considering her situation, so it is clearly a plot device to add suspense. It did the job, but at a cost. It also stretched credulity for me that these women would all group together like school girls again for the funeral and later to scatter Isobel's ashes. They weren't all that close as friends and that fact is pointed out several times.

Obviously, based on the title alone, you know there was a pact made between them. As the plot unfolds, the women continue to receive text messages based on the traditional magpie nursery rhyme (which is helpfully shared at the opening of the novel) with some modifications of the words. You can read through the chapters pretty quickly. While you may suspect what the pact was, all the information is not shared until later in the novel. The ending was a surprise. 3.5 rounded down when needed.

The Pact is a good choice for readers who enjoy soapy popcorn thrillers. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

How to Survive a Murder Investigation

 

How to Survive a Murder Investigation by Catherine Townsend
11/17/26; 304 pages
Ballantine 

How to Survive a Murder Investigation: A True Story of Death and Danger in the Ozarks by Catherine Townsend is part memoir and instruction manual set during her personal investigative into an unsolved murder. It is highly recommended for fans of true crime and the author's podcast.

In 2004 college student Rebekah Gould was murdered in the Ozarks of rural Izard County Arkansas and her body was found off Highway 9. Townsend grew up in the area years earlier so in 2017, when the case was still unsolved, Townsend went back home to investigate. As both a journalist and private investigator, as well as a former native to the area, she was uniquely qualified to look into the case. She understood wrongful convictions, dealt with dirty cops, and knew incompetence when she encountered it. Rebecca was clearly murdered in the trailer of her boyfriend. From there, the investigation flounders. It is full of rumors, suspects, presumed missing pieces of evidence, and no clear investigation

Townsend opens with personal background information before delving into the case of Rebecca Gould. She has the officer in charge of the case dismiss her, saying, “investigations are grownup stuff.” He also won't share any information. This sets Townsend on a mission. Each of the chapters are titled as steps in a murder investigation, starting with 1. Create Your Murder Board, and then followed by 2. Don't Go into the Woods; 3. Treat Dating like Detective work and Vice Versa; 4. Piece Together the Timeline; 5. Be a Victim; 6. Insert Yourself into the Story; 7. Pound the Pavement, and more. Also included between chapters are a few Sidecases.

It is an interesting real life story and did hold my attention most of the time. I'm not a true crime podcast fan, so I knew nothing about this case or Townsend before reading. She writes in a very conversational, accessible style, as if she's just talking to you about the case, who she questions, information uncovered, leads, etc. At times I did feel as if she was sharing way too much personal information rather than focusing on the investigation, which left me a bit bored, but others will likely enjoy this personable style of writing more. This is a true cold case investigation, so unlike a novel, everything won't be wrapped up with complete closure on all questions. You will likely still have questions that can't be answered. 3.5 rounded up when needed.

How to Survive a Murder Investigation, is a great choice for true crime devotees, along with those following Townsend and true crime podcasts. Thanks to Ballantine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The Parkwood Murders

 

The Parkwood Murders by Chris Chibnall
12/1/26; 352 pages
Viking Penguin
Detective Nicola Bridge #2

The Parkwood Murders by Chris Chibnall is a highly recommended procedural/murder mystery and the second book in the Detective Nicola Bridge series following Death at the White Hart.

Parkwood Holiday Village is a vacation resort that offer families a whole series of amenities and excellent customer service in an idyllic woodland setting, so when a dead man is found stabbed in the wave pool it causes a whole different kind of experience. Detective Nicola Bridge and her younger partner DC Harry Ward are called in to investigate and face numerous challenges. Any evidence was washed away by the pool water, the identity of the dead man in unknown, and between the visitors and staff there are hundreds of people to question. With limited help, Nicola and Harry along with investigator Mel Hardiman have their work cut out for them.

The setting comes to life in this exceptionally well-written, carefully plotted, fast-paced intelligent and complex procedural. Following along as the team uncovers information and investigates held my complete attention. In this case the potential suspects are numerous and the setting could allow someone coming in secretly. Readers are privy to the questioning of several suspects, each with varying degrees of skepticism over their trustworthiness. There are plenty of twist, several suspects, and increasing tension. 

The team work to uncover clues and carefully follows up on all of them. They end up identifying the body as belonging to the former manager of Parkwood. Along the way also uncover a case of a woman who disappeared years earlier and several questionable activities going on in the resort. The final denouement was a shocking surprise. 

All of the characters, including supporting ones, are fully realized and are presented as unique individuals which makes it easy to follow the investigation. The interactions between the characters is realistic. Nicola is also going through private domestic struggles with her 18-year-old son. It was a pleasure to follow these characters in another investigation and I hope there will be another novel to continue their story. 

The Parkwood Murders is a perfect choice for readers who enjoy well-written British police procedurals. Thanks to Viking Penguin for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Dead Ringer

 

Dead Ringer by John W. Mefford
11/19/26; 339 pages
Book Whisperer
Book 8 of Alex & Ozzie, Dark Horizon  

Dead Ringer by John W. Mefford is a highly recommended investigative thriller. This is the eighth book in the Alex & Ozzie, Dark Horizon series but it can easily be enjoyed as a standalone novel. This outing focuses on two different investigations.

Austin Horizon Investigations consists of private investigators Alex Troutt, former FBI agent, and Ozzie Novak, former defense attorney, along with some assistance by Alex's son, Luke, 22. Ozzy's twin sister, Ivy Nash, has her own PI firm, ECHO, with her partner Cristina, which focuses on finding lost children. When Ivy drops off her son Miguel, 12, for Luke to watch while she's on a case, Alex has the time to help her. They are looking for Vince, 11, who was playing in the park when he disappeared. Vince and his mother Kyla Robinson are now living with her fiance wealthy real estate developer Simon Wilcher. At the same time Ozzie is called by insurance claim adjuster Nancy Lee to look into a painting stolen from the home of wealthy couple Keith and Angela. He has his college aged daughter Mackenzie help him in the investigation, while his 11-year-old daughter Charlotte, spends quality time with Luke and Miguel.

The well-written narrative switches smoothly between the two cases through chapters from the point-of-view of Alex, Ivy, and Ozzie. As they uncover clues in both of the cases, the tension rises quickly, especially in the case of Vince. While they are investigating, the focus is initially on a mysterious van at the park. Kyla's ex-husband, Vince, is also causing trouble as he rages and tries to cause trouble while Kayla is spiraling. Ivy also seems to be increasingly having problems, which leads to a shocking disclosure. The phone calls they've had haven't demanded a ransom - yet. The missing painting case is not as tension packed, but it does present a mystery. Both of the cases come to a satisfying conclusion, although one outcome was predictable early on.

There is a whole lot of information given at the beginning to help readers new to the series follow who's who and how everyone is connected. This serves to catch readers up on some additional character development and background before the two cases really take off. All of these characters have been through a plethora of traumatic experiences. The dialogue between them is well done and entertaining. I especially enjoyed the humorous scenes with Luke, Miguel, and Charlotte having a great time together getting prepared for Christmas in their own way. 

Dead Ringer is a great choice for those who enjoy investigative thrillers and mysteries. Thanks to Book Whisperer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

Destined: A Promise Fulfilled

 

Destined: A Promise Fulfilled by Rẹmi Adejumo
10/22/26; 482 pages
Seven Acre Press 

Destined: A Promise Fulfilled by Rẹmi Adejumo is a highly recommended love story - for the right reader. This is a love story that also encompasses grief, family, faith, friends, and visions.

In April 1989 in Nigeria, Atoke's father was assassinated right in front of her. She was 12 years-old and next to him in the front seat of the car on their way home from church. Obviously, it changed her entire life. Atoke had the gift of sensing things, or seeing events before they happened. Additionally, she had had a premonition about her father's death in 1984. She was sent to boarding school with hopes that removing her from their home would help. What Atoke learned was discipline, achievement, as she cultivated a carefully guarded certainty about life. She kept her best friend BK, traveled, and became a solicitor living in London.

Stefan grew up in Germany and  kept having a recurring dream/vision where a man tells him to look after her (no name).  When BK talks Atoke into go to a reunion in Los Vegas, Stefan sees her and is immediately attracted to her. She is also attracted to him, however, also hesitant so she dissuades him from his affections.  He can't forget her and a couple years later has a friend find her. He then goes to London to see her, finding her at the coffee shop mentioned years earlier. This time the two start a relationship, a long distance one with Stefan living in Florida and Atoke in London. 

After they start a relationship the novel focuses on them building that relationship, learning to trust, and strengthening their connections to each other. They also need to open up about their pasts, her about her father and him about his vision. It is detailed as the narrative delves deep into their character development while establishing that they were destined to meet each other. It does come to a satisfying conclusion.

If I'm honest, I'm not a huge fan of romance novels and reading this was a stretch for me at times. It was not what I expected. However, I think those who do appreciate romance will likely enjoy this novel. The character development kept me reading as the two tried to work out their relationship. However, it also felt overly long and could have used some major editing. I am also having some doubts about characters that are all very successful and seem to have unlimited funds. I prefer novels more grounded in reality. 3.5 rounded up when needed. 

Thanks to Seven Acre Press for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.