Catching recommendations from Goodreads and good buddies, thought it might be time to share some of the wealth.Do you like historical fiction, literary fiction, police procedurals, or perhaps a memoir? Here are audiobooks in the queue from my library with an eye of what might look good to you also. (Book links are to Amazon-US.)
On My Audiobook Shelf
Just Finished:
Lorne by Susan Morrison (scheduled for my review on June 18 – Editors’ pick Best Biographies and Memoirs)
Currently listening to:
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (I also listed this in February then ran out of time. Editors’ pick Best Books of 2025)
Up Next:
The Keeperby Tana French (Editors’ pick Best Books of the Year So Far 2026)
Currently on library hold:
Wait time on these holds is anywhere from 2 weeks to 16 weeks and they represent a few different genres, including two of my favorites, historical and crime fiction.
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (Editors’ pick Best Books of the Year 2025 and a Reese’s Book Club pick.) 1st in line
Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke – 4 weeks (second try on this one, too)
I’d be willing to bet you’ve read at least one of these! I can’t vouch for those on my hold list, but a wait of two months is down from four and I can’t wait to get into them. Which one have you already read or listened to? Did one of these catch your attention? So what did you think?
Sworn to protect a scenic island meant to be far from the evils of the mainland, Detective Sergeant Stilwell can feel danger closing in.
Detective Sergeant Stilwell knows that his posting on Catalina Island is no paradise, but to most residents, it seems blissfully separated—by twenty-two miles of ocean—from the troubles of Los Angeles County. But now a threat is coming to his safe haven.
Acting on a tip from a confidential informant, Stilwell and his deputies watch a plane land in the middle of the night at the Airport in the Sky, a remote airstrip in the mountains. A duffel bag of drugs is dropped and the deputies move in, but things quickly go sideways. While Stilwell chases the fleeing pickup man into the mountainside brush, shots are fired on the runway and the plane flies off.
An internal inquiry follows, putting Stilwell on the bench until he is cleared of responsibility for the disastrous operation. But he is determined to find out who brought deadly violence to his island, and begins his own secret investigation into the drug deal gone wrong.
While under orders to remain in the sheriff’s substation, he finds in the lost and found a valuable backpack that was never claimed. He traces it to a woman who disappeared while hiking on the island four years ago. But then why was the pack only turned in two months back? Now thoroughly intrigued, he follows the mystery all the way to the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit and Detective Renée Ballard.
Stilwell and Ballard work the case from both sides of the channel, and soon realize they are on the trail of a criminal who revels in taunting the authorities. Meanwhile, frustrated at being shut out of an investigation on his own island, Stilwell risks his already shaky standing in the department to pursue a case whose reach is wider than he ever imagined.
My Review:
Love this new extended enforcement family Connelly is creating with this new series! Starting with a strong and authentic protagonist, Detective Sergeant Stilwell, is hiding in plain sight on Catalina Island where he’s been sent by a disgruntled Captain. Would not have been his requested location, but he appears to be making the most of it quickly.
Stilwell has been exiled to the Avalon Lost and Found and finds treasure. That officer’s instinct kicks in when he discovers an item that can be traced to a missing person’s case. Oh, he loves the search and bites with the fury of a pit bull.
Connelly’s storylines, however, ramp into complexity when he finds other investigative possibilities.
Ironwood – UK cover
His investigation leads him to a cooperative partnership with Detective Renee Ballard back in LAPD’s cold case unit. I love the character of Renee Ballard and applaud the collaboration that manages in a minor manner to include retired detective Harry Bosch. YES! We also love the Bosch series (also successful transition to TV). It’s like old home week and ties that community in a pleasing small world category of best practices of law enforcement—the trading of information for the collective success.
Love the pacing, no chance for middle downtime sag, the intelligence collective matches up clues, often citing and avoiding procedural constraints, necessary run-arounds.
The characters are real, Stilwell exudes dedication to his craft as do the others; their mutual goal always at the forefront, determined and gritty.
“From your gut to God’s ear.”
It’s smart, engaging crime fiction at its Connelly best. Catalina Island continues to lay that unique location solidly in the mind’s eye allowing that all the beauty might very well hide a darker, more sinister layer.
We greatly enjoyed Book 1, Nightshade, and this doesn’t disappoint—allowing my objection to the abrupt cliff-hanger. While Ironwood could be read as a standalone, you might wish to set your foundation for the series and then follow the progression of the character development. Either way, you’re in for a treat.
Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
The Author:Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than forty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty-nine million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include The Waiting (2024), Resurrection Walk (2023), Desert Star (2022), The Dark Hours (2021), The Law Of Innocence (2020), Fair Warning (2020), and The Night Fire (2019). Michael is the executive producer of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime/Amazon Freevee. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer, streaming on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, “Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story’ and ‘Tales Of the American.’ He spends his time in California and Florida.
May proved to be very busy and confirmed that once again, I’ve overwhelmed my schedule. June will be busy with both the CE’s and our son’s birthdays celebrations near the end of the month. We’ve tossed some ideas around and, like everyone, antsy to hit the road. This year with the country celebrating 250 years, there are a lot of stories about historic sights within the state. Do you do Airbnb?
My little water garden still looks anemic, waiting for the plants to fill in. Decided in order to kill any population of mosquito larvae, I needed mosquito fish and a couple snails, so that’s been added along with a solar fountain, and discovered something called Rosy Red Minnows (they aren’t goldfish). They are handling the less-than-desirable container conditions as well as temperature fluctuations.
It’s taken us awhile to get the front and back yards cleaned up—still burning twigs and small branches yesterday (low wind)—trying to keep up with the grass growing inches within a week. The critters discovered the seedlings and started trying to get to them. Lots of bunnies this time of year and they are all hungry. The construction in the neighborhood behind us has pushed the deer looking for greener pastures and better hiding places.
The CE andI read or listened to a total of twelve books in May. Our major source of books is the library (audiobooks and ebooks), although we obtain ARCs from NetGalley and author and publisher requests.) The links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.
My Reading Challenges page…I’ve not caught up. My Goodreads count will never be right now. The landing page shows 67 of a challenge of 175 with three books owing a review from May and five books behind schedule. Oops. Obviously, someone is having too much fun.
To all my dear readers and fellow bloggers, thank you so much for taking the time to check out my posts and leave your comments. Blog hopping is on my priority list.
An amazing true story of a young sailor during the American Revolution
**For readers of all ages
The Revolutionary War is raging, and 12-year-old Christopher Hawkins runs away to follow his dream of being a sailor and a patriot. During his first sea adventure, the British capture his ship. Quick-witted Christopher escapes at his first opportunity.
At 17, Christopher joins another American privateer ship but is soon captured by the British. This time, he is delivered to the notorious British ship HMS Jersey, the war’s deadliest prison. Armed with only courage, cunning, and a sense of humor, Christopher Hawkins will face death unless he can escape from his British captors twice more.
His Review:
The picture of George Washington crossing the Delaware River to win our freedom sticks in most people’s minds. This tale is quite different but nevertheless very informative. The “Red Coats” were a brutal contingent of soldiers who held no sympathy for the American Colonists! Our forefathers were, after all, rebelling from the true monarch.
Christopher Hawkins – UK cover
Christopher Hawkins is a young man intent upon helping the cause of freedom. He is young and idealistic. Indentured servants were common and he was sold by his father to help in a tannery. He hated the job and the smells and got word that those sailing on ships could expect to share in goods captured on the high seas. His problem was that the British ships were larger, better manned and the end result was capture and imprisonment.
Young Hawkins is able to escape the prison ship and tries to get back to his home in Rhode Island. The journey is a very long and dangerous journey on foot. There are families who give him shelter and food as he travels.
Ultimately, he is captured and returned in chains to a ship off the coast. The ship, however, is badly over-populated and in the melee, he slips overboard and swims to land. He travels at night and hides during the day. Without a light to guide his way, his travels are fraught with danger.
His memories are very enlightening and entertaining. They have given me an entirely new perspective on the Revolutionary War. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams
Geared for the younger crowd, this is also informative for adults. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. Any opinion expressed here is my own.
Book Details:
Genre: US Revolution & Founding History Publication Date: July 24, 2023 Source: Publisher and NetGalley
The Author: As a fan of family history, Jeanne Brownlee Becijos has enjoyed digging into the story of her ancestor Christopher Hawkins and traveling to New York, Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island to explore the roads Christopher traveled during his escapes. Jeanne has taught K-12 and college students and has written educational textbooks and award-winning plays. She lives in San Diego with her husband.
To learn more about Christopher Hawkins and his world, visit Jeanne’s website http://jeanne.becijos.com
Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did.
These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person.
She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.
And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.
My Review:
Sometimes, you just deserve something fun. I’ve read a number of McFadden books in the last few years. Admittedly some better than others. This one had my head swimming.
No way can my head swing that far out without needing a straight jacket. This protagonist is off her rocker. I stopped questioning what I was hearing and just listened for the pure joy of it. The narrators did a great job and I’m sure they enhanced the book somewhat but this plot was really going to keep my drop-jawed attention regardless.
Debbie can really think up some weird stuff. You’ve got to keep reading or listening just to see if she’s going to get away with it. But then it gets worse. She is seething with all the emotional baggage she’s been holding in and once the match is lit, she is ready to dispense with the rage and impotence. She will find a way to mete out some karma.
Oh, that delicious dark humor! It’s a great balance for the more serious scenes in the foreground. She is dealing with thieving neighbors and teenagers, one of whom has a despicable boyfriend, a husband doing mysterious things (an affair?), a lecherous boss who fired her over a questionable advice column she wrote, and a friend at the gym who is bizarrely interested in all things Debbie’s family.
And did I mention she is extraordinarily good at designing apps, one of which she’s installed on her family’s cell phones. There is just a heap of those little things careening out of Debbie’s psyche, including the one that happened while she was at MIT. That one was hard to overcome. Or did she?
It’s a bit insane. If you’ve read McFadden books before, you know the hit and miss, the characters that carve out a persona so real, you want to help, and the ones who don’t elicit more than a casual glance. This plot is fast. It’s almost criminally over the top—yeah—just enjoy that part. It’s engaging, entertaining, and a wild ride. The only part that let me down just a bit was the ending—the epilogue. Was that overkill? You be the judge.
Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
The Author: #1 New York Times, Amazon Charts, USA Today, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Sunday Times, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author Freida McFadden is a physician who has penned multiple bestselling psychological thrillers and medical humor novels. Freida is the winner of the International Thriller Writer Award for Best Paperback Original, the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Thriller, and was honored as one of TIME 100’s most influential people in the world for 2026. Her novels have been translated into more than 45 languages.
Freida lives with her family and cat in a centuries-old three-story home overlooking the ocean, with staircases that creak and moan with each step, and nobody could hear you if you scream. Unless you scream really loudly, maybe.
To hear Freida talk about herself more in the third person, check out her website freidamcfadden dot com.
Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick is eighty-one years old. She’s lived on her idyllic street, Kenny Lane, for sixty years–longer than anyone else. Aside from being a curmudgeon who minds everyone else’s business, few would suspect that Elsie has a past that she has worked exceedingly hard at concealing. Because when it comes to murder, no one ever suspects little girls or old ladies. And Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, once a little girl and now an old lady, has a strange history of people in her life coming to a foul end.
When a new little girl (talkative, curious, nosy) moves into the neighborhood and stops at nothing to befriend Elsie, her carefully-constructed life threatens to come crashing down as the secrets in Elsie’s past start coming to light. Who was “Mad Mabel” fifty years ago? Who is Elsie Fitzpatrick today? And if the past has a habit of repeating itself, who has the most to lose?
Told with Sally Hepworth’s twists, humor, charm, and heart, MAD MABEL is novel that weaves past and present together–through the power of justice and redemption, and all the way to its stunning conclusion.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press
My Review:
Oh I have greatly enjoyed this author previously in deeply suspenseful literary novels, the last one being Darling Girls. The lady can write. This one doesn’t carry that tension-filled nail-biting thriller genre quite like that one, but nonetheless, was unique and quite entertaining.
Yes, once again, a protagonist near my age—I loved it! And of course I was listening to the audiobook and expected to hear that querulous voice so often attributed to an octogenarian, but, thank you, while just a little sharp, it merely reflects the woman’s no-nonsense personality. She’s had it tough and the book will explain why. But not right away.
Mad Mabel – UK cover
I loved Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick. She’s a great main character and oozes personality. It’s one of those tough hide, soft heart things and it almost immediately bumps up against the latter when seven-year-old Persephone moves into the neighborhood with her single and struggling mother, Roxanne.
Persephone drove me nuts and for awhile, I had the same go away reaction to her as did Mabel. Long after I was ready to kick Persephone to the curb, Mabel was grudgingly beginning to hide obvious tender feelings for the poor thing, needy and lonely as she was.
In the meantime, Mabel discovered her neighbor in his little home…dead. This will not go well with her history and as there was a bit of antagonism between the two, it won’t take long for that bit to be discovered. Mabel’s background includes a murder conviction when she was fifteen. Even in her old Australian neighborhood, will she never be able to outrun that history?
The author does a fine job of weaving dual timelines with little twists that tease the imagination and beg the question—was Elsie the unfortunate child of deadly circumstances, bad timing, questionable coincidences and circumstantial evidence? Can anyone have this much bad luck? Is she, after all, innocent?
I enjoyed the sense of humor, the dialogue, and the build of empathy for Elsie…and the kid, as well as the contradictions in how her neighbors perceived her. No one believed this. She took in the victim’s dog? She didn’t like that dog. This is some great storytelling and the twists at the end truly caught me by surprise. Loved it. Yeah, I’ve got to recommend this one to my book club.
Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good satirical plot that will keep you flipping pages and forgetting the main character’s age. As my good motobuddy used to say, “age is just a number.”
Many thanks to Lynne at Fictionophile for her recommendation and to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
The Author:Sally Hepworth is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including The Good Sister and The Soulmate. Her latest novel, Darling Girls, was released in Australia in September 2023, and will be released in North America in April 2024.
Drawing on the good, the bad and the downright odd of human behaviour, Sally writes incisively about family, relationships and identity. Her domestic thriller novels are laced with quirky humour, sass and a darkly charming tone. They are available worldwide in English and have been translated into twenty languages.
Sally lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her three children and one adorable dog. She has recently taken up ocean swimming (or to put it more accurately, ocean dipping).
Nothing less than the survival of humanity is at stake.
From Marcus Kliewer, a new “titan of the macabre and unsettling” (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes an eerie supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist, only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.
EXCITING OPPORTUNITY:
Caretaker urgently needed. Three days of work. Competitive pay. Serious applicants ONLY.
Macy Mullins can’t say why the job posting grabbed her attention—it had the pull of a fisherman’s lure, barbed hook and all—vaguely ominous. But after an endless string of failed job interviews, she’s not exactly in the position to be picky. She has rent to pay, groceries to buy, and a younger sister to provide for.
Besides, it’s only three days’ work…
Three days, cooped up in a stranger’s house, surrounded by Oregon Coast wilderness.
What starts as a peculiar side gig soon becomes a waking nightmare. An incomprehensible evil may dwell on this property—and Macy Mullins might just be the only thing standing between it, and the rest of humanity.
Follow the Rites…
Follow the Rites…
Follow the Rites…
His Review:
Macy is a hungry young woman helping to support and put her little sister through school. And just in time, an ad appears for a very nice salary just for watching an old mansion for a few days. What could be more attractive? Yes, the mansion has a bad reputation and its owner is old and very eccentric, but she is close to losing the apartment they share and food is extremely scarce. She jumps at the chance despite her little sister’s badgering.
Things happen at the mansion that defy logic. Doors close, cold air comes out of nowhere and lights go on and off without explanation. Her instructions are to lock up at night and allow no one in, no matter what the situation. The property is multiple floors and she decides to stop at the top and work her way down. However, after turning off the lights on the upper floors and working her way down, strange noises and lights coming back on just after being shut off are becoming the norm. She begins to think there are strange forces at work here. But she and her sister desperately need the money to avoid eviction!
This is a very well-written spooky story which gradually deepens in a mysterious way. It becomes a story very hard to set down. Read, enjoy and wonder! 4.5 stars – CE Williams
Many thanks to the local library for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this ebook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars
Book Details:
Genre: Ghost Thrillers, Horror Literature & Fiction, Suspense Thrillers Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books/12:01 Books Publication Date: April 21, 2026 Source: Local library
The Author: Marcus Kliewer is a writer and stop-motion animator. His debut novel We Used to Live Here began life as a serialized short story on Reddit, where it won the Scariest Story of 2021 award on the NoSleep forum. Film rights were snapped up by Netflix, and it was acquired by Simon & Schuster for publication even before it had been extended into a full-length novel. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.
Follow him on Instagram @marcus_kliewer for exclusive book updates / writing things / stop motion animation & a lot of pet videos. [Goodreads]
Orla can’t believe the bombshell her husband of thirty years has just dropped. The future she imagined is gone, and she’s forced to redefine her entire life while grappling with something from her past that doesn’t quite add up. An opportunity to attend a wellness retreat with her best friend at Dunmara House seems like exactly what she needs to find her way forward.
Connecticut, USA, 1969
Jeannie is part of the first ever intake of women to Yale University. Her father thinks it’s a waste of money, but Jeannie knows she has what it takes to be a novelist—she just needs a chance. While America is at war in Vietnam, and all over the country people are clashing, her life unexpectedly takes her to Ireland, where a course is set that will ripple through generations.
Standing since 1689, the stately Dunmara House in Ireland has seen life in all its guts and glory. Now, as two women’s lives become entwined across time, the old house slowly reveals its secrets.
Perfect for fans of Kate Morton, Lucinda Riley, and Diana Gabaldon, this evocative time-slip novel weaves past and present into an unforgettable story of love, secrets, and resilience that will stay with you long after the final page.
My Review:
One of the reasons I enjoy Ms Grainger’s novels so much is her obvious love of her country and its ancient history. I’m in awe that you could have a several-thousand-year-old ruin behind your home. There are descriptions of the ancient origins of decaying walls and Celtic traditions throughout.
Another reason would be the witticisms and sense of humor that grace the pages that lighten the load of even a solemn or sad occasion.
“A lack of organization on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”
“…her face will take her further than her feet.”
“Oh, that guy, honest to God, if there was work in the bed, he’d sleep on the floor.”
This narrative follows several women and trades off chapters between them as they are developed. Orla, Jeannie, and Safira have vastly different life experiences and each harbors a secret which is dribbled out in tiny spoonfuls.
Jeannie wanted to be a writer but her college career was interrupted by an unexpected turn of events that ended with her family sending her to Dunmara House in Ireland and just like that becomes Margot. The time frame around Vietnam held a different moral compass back then.
Orla finds her life upended with the announcement of her husband’s leaving for younger pastures.
Safira, from Bali, is still baffled by many of the traditions of the Irish, but works her heart out over a goal she is secretly working for. It’s to the point where she begins the cleaning process. That, after cleaning at her day job.
There are several other close support characters, but the main character really is the Dunmara House. Once she has it cleaned and positioned for operation, she’ll need help. Not the oily antagonist who also envisions the property.
This book started out a bit slow for me and for some reason I had a bit of a problem really getting into it. The characters become interconnected in a positive way that will easily slide into Book 2, and I suspect there will be further development among the characters but felt moments of déjà vu with the plot. The names may have changed, but I think I recognize these ladies.
The author is quite the storyteller and can weave in elements of family drama, love and betrayal, but the descriptive scenes and that Irish sense of humor keep me coming back. A nice start to a new series.
Many thanks to the author for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.
Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars
Book Details:
Genre: Historical British & Irish Literature, Historical Irish Fiction, Women’s Historical Fiction Publication Date: April 22, 2026
The Author:Jean Grainger is a USA Today bestselling author with over 100,000 5* reviews of historical and contemporary Irish fiction. She is acclaimed for her authentic portrayal of Irish life and history. Born in Cork, she draws from her experience as a history lecturer, teacher, and tour guide to craft characters that feel like friends, and sometimes foes. Grainger’s works span multiple series and standalone novels, covering significant periods in recent Irish history, but told from the perspective of families, the humans behind the headlines. Her stories often intertwine historical events with personal journeys, exploring themes of family, friendship, and human resilience. Grainger’s writing style, characterized by its warmth and authenticity, has earned her comparisons to renowned Irish authors like Maeve Binchy. Her dedication to research and character development has resulted in a loyal readership who feel deeply connected to her stories and characters.
Lorne by Susan Morrison (scheduled for my review on June 18 – Editors’ pick Best Biographies and Memoirs)
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (I also listed this in February then ran out of time. Editors’ pick Best Books of 2025)
The Keeper by Tana French (Editors’ pick Best Books of the Year So Far 2026)
His memories are very enlightening and entertaining. They have given me an entirely new perspective on the Revolutionary War. Enjoy! 5 stars – CE Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 