Althea's Reading Corner

Title: No Parm No Foul Author: Linda Reilly S eries: Grilled Cheese Mystery Genre: Mystery Format: Kindle No. of Pages: 336 Date of Publication: July 26, 2022 Description:  The second book in a delicious culinary cozy series-the muensters have arrived in Balsam Dell in this Halloween cozy mystery featuring a grilled cheese shop owner turned amateur sleuth After a long hot summer in Balsam Dell, Carly Hale is ready for crisp Vermont weather and gourmet grilled cheeses at her Grilled Cheese Eatery. And the upcoming Halloween food competition is the perfect way to impress the locals. But Ferris Menard, the owner of Sub-a-Dub-Sub, is nursing a serious grudge against Carly. Two days before the competition, one of Carly's employees quit his part-time gig at Menard's sub shop, sending Menard into a serious snit. In a confrontation at the Eatery, Menard accused Carly of sabotage and vowed to bring her down. That's when Menard's body is found in his kitchen the morning after the...

Title: Strawberried Alive Author: Jenn McKinlay Narrator: Susan Boyce Series: A Cupcake Bakery Mystery Genre: Mystery Format: Audiobook   Listening length: 6 hours 36 minutes Date of Publication: May 3, 2022 Description:  Life is smooth as buttercream at the Fairy Tale Cupcakes bakery, and newlyweds Mel and Joe are stopping to smell the flours. But things start to crumble one night when an unknown gunman takes a shot at Mel. Even though the bullets miss their mark, the cupcake crew goes on high alert to figure out who would want to kill a small-town baker—and why. When more business owners are attacked, things turn fatal, and locals begin to wonder if the killer could be one of their own. Every shop owner in town starts to fear it’s only a matter of time before they too become victims of the mystery murderer. Despite the cupcake crew's superb baking skills, it will be anything but a piece of cake to catch the killer, as they try to prevent anyone else from being berried. My Th...

Title: All the Dangerous Things Author: Stacy Willingham Narrator: Karissa Vacker Genre: Mystery & Thriller Format: Audiobook Listening length: 9 hours 55 minutes 34 seconds Date of Publication: January 10, 2023 Description:  One year ago, Isabelle Drake's life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her—literally. Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year. Isabelle's entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster—but his interest in Isabelle's past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning p...

Title: Caged Author: Ellison Cooper Series: Agent Sayer Altair Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Thriller Format: Paperback No. of Pages: 359 Date of Publication: July 10, 2018 Description:  FBI neuroscientist Sayer Altair hunts for evil in the deepest recesses of the human mind. Still reeling from the death of her fiancé, she wants nothing more than to focus on her research into the brains of serial killers. But when the Washington D.C. police stumble upon a gruesome murder scene involving a girl who was slowly starved to death while held captive in a cage, Sayer is called in to lead the investigation. When the victim is identified as the daughter of a high profile senator, Sayer is thrust into the spotlight. As public pressure mounts, she discovers that another girl has been taken and is teetering on the brink of death. With evidence unraveling around her, Sayer races to save the second victim but soon realizes that they are hunting a killer with a dangerous obsession.....

Title: Notorious Author: Allison Brennan Series: Max revere Genre: Mystery, Suspense, & Thriller Format: Hardcover No. of Pages: 432 Date of Publication: March 25, 2014 Description:  Maxine Revere has dedicated her life to investigating murders that the police have long since given up any hope of solving. A nationally renowned, tough-as-nails investigative reporter with her own TV show, Max tackles cold cases from across the country and every walk of life. But the one unsolved murder that still haunts her is a case from her own past. "Buckle up and brace yourself for Maxine Revere."―Sandra Brown When she was a high school senior, a close friend was strangled and another, Kevin, was accused of the crime. Max stood by Kevin―until she found out he lied about his alibi. Though his guilt was never proven, their relationship crumbled from the strain of too many secrets. But that was years ago…and now Max is home for Kevin's funeral. Did he kill himself after years of dr...

Title: The Gender War Author: Bella Forrest Series: The Gender Game Genre: Action and Adventure, Science Fiction Format: Paperback No. of Pages: 416 Date of Publication: February 9, 2017 Description:  "For the sake of Viggo, my brother, my family in Patrus, and every single citizen of our God-forsaken nations, I had to stop the war."  Continue Violet and Viggo's journey in the  electrifying  fourth book of  The Gender Game  series! My Thoughts:  The story continues with Violet and Viggo trying to survive from Desmond (leader of the Liberators), the new queen of Matrus, and the queen's enhanced siblings. Their journey continues with them trying to survive in Patrus where we learn more about Amber and her past, which has been quite a mystery up until now. She takes Violet, Viggo, and the rest of their followers into her home in Patrus. The story still switches between Viggo and Violet, which normally I don't like because it is hard to follow, h...

Title: The Gender Lie Author: Bella Forrest Series: The Gender Game Genre: Action and Adventure, Science Fiction Format: Paperback No. of Pages: 410 Date of Publication: December 31, 2016 Description:  "I'd want you to help me win a war..." After discovering the shocking secret buried deep within The Green, Violet has a grave decision to make. Trust the woman who saved her, or not? So far, everything about the woman has taken Violet by surprise. Her behavior has been honest and upfront - a refreshing change for Violet. Besides, with one of her loved ones hanging on life support, and the other close to falling completely out of reach, Violet doesn't exactly have a lot of choice. Her only way forward is to embark on a dicey excursion. For this, she knows she needs the Liberators' help - and must be prepared to take whatever risks that comes with. But what neither she, nor any of her new Liberator comrades can prepare for, is just how deep the lies of the...

Title: The Gender Secret Author: Bella Forrest Series: The Gender Game Genre: Action and Adventure, Science Fiction Format: Paperback No. of Pages: 426 Date of Publication: November 21, 2016 Description:  Gliding over the treacherous Green in a shaky aircraft she has no idea how to land, Violet Bates is still in shock. The harrowing events of the previous night play over in her mind as she asks herself question after question. Why did Lee Desmond Bertrand behave the way he did? What is the truth about the mysterious silver egg stowed beneath her seat? What happened to Viggo and where is her brother? Is either of them still alive? When Violet manages to reach the toxic ground alive, she has landed in a world of unimaginable danger. She has barely time to catch her breath before she is sucked into a perilous journey at breakneck speed - to uncover secrets guarded for centuries and find the only two people that matter. My Thoughts:  Violet's time in Patrus gets more interest...

A Small Affair : A Novel  Flora Collins On Sale Date: December 27, 2022 9780778386933 Trade Paperback $17.99 USD 336 pages I am super excited to be part of the MIRA Books blog tour for Flora Collins upcoming book A Small Affair: A Novel, which releases on December 27, 2022. Book Summary A twisting novel of psychological suspense about a young woman whose life is torn apart when her wealthy ex-lover is found dead, along with his wife. Vera is ruthlessly ambitious, beautiful by her own account, and knows how to get exactly what she wants--no matter who stands in the way. When she starts a relationship with a wealthy older man who tells her he’s separated from his wife, she thinks litte of it. After only a few dates, she ends things, but that’s only the beginning. Days later, the man and his wife are found dead in their home, leaving behind a note saying Vera’s rejection had driven him to the horrible act of violence. Vera is immediately blamed for the couple’s deaths, demonized by th...

Title: Vendetta Author: Iris Johansen Series: Catherine Ling Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller Format: Hardcover No. of Pages: 416 Date of Publication: October 23, 2016 Description:  With his dying breath, Carl Venable, head of the CIA task force on terrorism and Jude Brandon’s final link to terrorist ringleader Max Huber, gives Brandon a mandate: keep his daughter, Rachel, safe at any cost. But Rachel Venable has a shocking, twisted past of her own, one that comes rushing back after her medical clinic in Guyana is attacked by Huber―the same man who murdered her father and kept her imprisoned for months. Brandon and Catherine Ling, Rachel’s longtime ally and fierce protector, are determined to keep Rachel out of danger, but she knows that it’s impossible to stay hidden when Max Huber wants you dead. As Rachel and Brandon race against the clock to bring Huber down before he can orchestrate a disaster that will lay waste to half the country, they also fight a growing attraction ...

Title: Never Tell Author: Lisa Gardner Series: Detective D.D. Warren Genre: Mystery, Suspense Format: Kindle ARC No. of Pages: 414 Date of Publication: February 19, 2019 Description:  A man is dead, shot three times in his home office. But his computer has been shot twelve times, and when the cops arrive, his pregnant wife is holding the gun.  D.D. Warren arrives on the scene and recognizes the woman--Evie Carter--from a case many years back. Evie's father was killed in a shooting that was ruled an accident. But for D.D., two coincidental murders is too many.  Flora Dane sees the murder of Conrad Carter on the TV news and immediately knows his face. She remembers a night when she was still a victim--a hostage--and her captor knew this man. Overcome with guilt that she never tracked him down, Flora is now determined to learn the truth of Conrad's murder.  But D.D. and Flora are about to discover that in this case the truth is a devilishly elusive thing. As layer ...

Title: Her Deadly Secrets Author: Laura Griffin Series: Wolfe Security Genre: Mystery & Suspense Format: Kindle ARC No. of Pages: 368 Date of Publication: July 2, 2019 Description:  Private investigator Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets. On a seemingly normal day, she’s delivering a report to her top client when suddenly everything goes sideways and the meeting ends in a bloodbath. Twenty-four hours later, the police have no suspects but one thing is clear: a killer has Kira in his sights. Fiercely independent, Kira doesn’t expect—or want—help from anyone, least of all an unscrupulous lawyer and his elite security team. Instead, she launches her own investigation, hoping to uncover the answers that have eluded the police. But as Kira’s hunt for clues becomes more and more perilous, she realizes that she alone may hold the key to finding a vicious murderer. And sh...