#TuesdayBookBlog – Page 4 – Rosepoint Publishing

The River’s Daughter by Bridget Crocker #AudiobookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Best Biographies and Memoirs

Book Blurb:

A vivid and propulsive memoir about finding courage and meaning in a life outdoors, by a world-class whitewater rafting guide.

After Bridget Crocker’s parents’ volatile divorce, she moved with her mother from Southern California to Wyoming. Her life was idyllic, growing up in a trailer park on the banks of the Snake River with a stepfather she loved, a new baby brother, and the river as her companion—until her mother suddenly took up a radical new lifestyle, becoming someone Bridget barely recognized. The one constant in her life—the place Bridget felt whole and fully herself—was the river. When she discovered the world of whitewater rafting, she knew she’d found her calling.

On the river, Bridget learned to read the natural world around her and came to know the language of rivers. One of the few female guides on the Snake River, she then traveled to the Zambezi River in Africa, some of the most dangerous whitewater in the world, where she faced death and learned to conquer her fears—both on the water and off. The river taught her how to overcome years of betrayals and abuse, to trust herself, and, finally, how to help heal her family from generational cycles of trauma and poverty.

A beautifully rendered memoir of a woman coming into her own, The River’s Daughter opens us to the possibilities of transformation through nature.

My Review:

The Snake River. The CE knows it well, having grown up in Twin Falls, ID. When our kids were late teens, our daughter’s then-boyfriend persuaded us into taking a rafting trip on the American River (California). While I know our little ride (see photo) didn’t compare with what is described in this book, I only know I wasn’t into looking for greater class rapids than these, one of which almost pitched me out of the raft.

But it was fun and I’ll never forget it.

So there were several things that caught my attention about this book. And it didn’t disappoint.

The author describes her early life with first, an abusive father, then a mother tuning in, turning on, and then checking out. Too bad, as she had learned to love the step-father. It was a chance to ride some rapids that gave her a calling. She loved the river. It spoke and sang to her. It didn’t take long before she doubled down to learn how to guide, rather than just ride.

The revelation of her childhood is prefaced with trigger warnings of abuse and sexual assault. Parents who were themselves abused who knew no other way to parent. Bridget watches the metamorphosis of her mother into a flower child she didn’t know, couldn’t understand, and really didn’t want the responsibility of her daughter anymore.

Bridget’s choice of male companions reflects what might have become a generational cycle trying to repeat itself and usually ends in abandonment and the realization that what she had was not the love she’d hoped.

Still, that might also have been instrumental in her continued striving to become an independent world-class white water guide, and she conquers that goal when she finally writes of the rapids of Zambia’s Zambezi River. The writer waxed poetically, often confirming her love of the wild, with prose that delighted the mind’s eye, lent perfumed mist to the air, and authentic African sights and sounds.

Descriptions of treacherous waters, boulders and spray, and the peculiarities of eddies and precipitous drops were detailed with emotional clarity. OOH!! I loved those descriptions and the descriptions of her various guides on world-class rafting rivers.

Sorry, but I loved those sections. Not so much her attempts at reconciliation with both mother and father. Why? She has fully transformed herself. Won her struggle with the trauma…healed. She is awesome.

Ever thought you’d like to try out some white water? You might wish to check out this book first. I recommend it. And rafting? I figure you have to experience it at least once.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: North America Travel & Tourism, Adventure Travel
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks
ASIN: B0DJHDN97L
Listening Length: 9 hrs 11 mins
Narrator: Bridget Crocker
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Bridget Crocker - author — Photo and bio courtesy Goodreads author profile.

The Author: Explorer. Storyteller. Guide.
A leading whitewater explorer and river guide, Bridget Crocker writes adventure memoir for life travelers forging new directions in their relationships and lives. Crocker’s writing transports readers to far-flung locations filled with flawed characters overcoming incredible adversity. A trauma survivor, Crocker explores themes of recovery and overcoming multi-generational cycles as well as sexism and racism in the outdoor industry. In her work as an author, speaker and leader of women’s empowerment river workshops, Crocker helps others strengthen their connection with the natural world and find the courage to navigate harrowing obstacles both on and off the river.

#Audiobooks

Good Days Bad Days: A Novel by Emily Bleeker #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Book Blurb:

A daughter reconnects with her estranged parents before it’s too late in an emotional novel about memories, secrets, and finding home by the bestselling author of When We Chased the Light.

Charlie McFadden was fifteen years old when CPS removed her from her hoarded home. Her mother, Betty, chose her worthless collectibles. Her father chose Betty. Neither chose Charlie.

Thirty-one years later, a mother herself and cohost of a popular reality show with her husband, Charlie is proud of what she accomplished without her parents—relative strangers she never saw again. Until the day Charlie’s father pleads with her to come home and to say goodbye to her mother, now confined to a memory care center. Betty has her good days, recognizing her daughter with familiar resentment. And her bad ones, lost in the past as a blissful young mother with a cherished newborn. Those days make Charlie feel loved.

For Charlie, each memory is a journey and a revelation. She sees a mother she never knew—bright and beautiful with so much promise. But hidden away is also a fiercely guarded secret. Shared, it could finally bring hope and healing to a broken family. If Betty can bear to remember it.

My Review:

Extreme cases of hoarding. Good grief. Something I’d never read about before nor took terribly seriously. It’s as insidious as alcoholism, slowly taking over the person and then that person’s close members to the point of their very class of living.

My mother lived through the depression. When I tried to help my sister with the storage shed behind their mobile home, I was confronted with a quarter of the shed stacked with toilet paper. Funny then, years later when Covid hit that mother was gone too late to see her stash come in handy. But she was not a hoarder. Not in this definition.

Charlie (Charlotte, Lottie) McFadden is a TV host ah la Joanna Gaines who, at a crisis in her own home, is called by her father that he needed help with their home. Her mother, Betty, is in memory care, had been a hoarder to the point that Charlie was removed from the home at age 15 to foster care. She never went back and estranged all this time, reluctant to go back now except for the predicament with her marriage. He will lose the home if it is not cleared and cleaned up.

The time line as remembered through her dad then switches back and forth between the present day and Betty’s history is becoming exposed with the extensive cleaning. Her dad has always supported Betty to the exclusion of Charlie, something she grew very bitter about.

And the “good” days? That’s according to the nurse handling Betty that day who sees the real Betty—the one who is angry, disagreeable, and recognizes Charlie with vehemence. Not at all the loving mother of “Laura,” who on “bad” days doesn’t recognize Charlie as Charlie but a soft spoken, kindly, and loving mother. It’s the disease, the dementia.

As Charlie hammers away at Betty on bad days, trying to get to the truth of her history, there are hints of a twist. Who is…was…Laura? What’s with her father? Why won’t he talk to Charlie, fill in all the blanks?

A powerful story that examines, dissects, and disseminates dementia, painting the character scary and beautiful at the same time; sympathetic, clueless, difficult. That the house and hoarding was chosen over Charlie, their daughter, is a mantra throughout the book. Themes of a fractured, enabled marriage, damaged family dynamics, secrets, and emotional dimensions.

The setting of Lake Geneva is lovely, bringing to mind our one trip there to explore and taste the food, drink in the scenery. A tourist destination.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher 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: Marriage & Divorce Fiction, 20^th Century Historical Fiction
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: 978-1662531255
ASIN: B0DXG9J6ZT
Print Length: 379 pages
Publication Date: October 7, 2025
Source: Publisher and Netgalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: Emily Bleeker is a former educator who discovered her passion for writing after introducing a writer’s workshop to her students. She soon found a whole world of characters and stories living inside of her mind. It took a battle with a rare form of cancer to give her the courage to share that amazing world with others. Emily lives in suburban Chicago with her family. Between writing and being a mom, she attempts to learn guitar, performs with the house team of a local improv troupe, dabbles in karaoke, and embraces her newfound addiction to running. Connect with her or request a Zoom visit with your book club at emilybleeker.com.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Beartown by Fredrik Backman #AudiobookReview #bookclubs #TuesdayBookBlog

#1 Best Seller in Sports Fiction

My participation with The Y Book Club for July was Beartown by Backman. Yes, I listened to this audiobook back in 2022 before quickly discovering that it’s sports fiction, definitely not one of my usual genres. Reloading an ebook so I could refresh my memory of it for the club meeting, I discovered new depths to the narrative I’d missed in skimming the sports dialogue.

Book Blurb:

By the lake in Beartown is an old ice rink, and in that ice rink Kevin, Amat, Benji, and the rest of the town’s junior ice hockey team are about to compete in the national semi-finals—and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Under that heavy burden, the match becomes the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown.

This is a story about a town and a game, but even more about loyalty, commitment, and the responsibilities of friendship; the people we disappoint even though we love them; and the decisions we make every day that come to define us. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world.

My Thoughts

Beartown was my first experience with a Backman novel and my problem was in having the patience sufficient to get through the heavily weighted ice hockey game descriptions; game strategy, players, coaches, parents, rivalry, and ethics to get to the crux of the novel.

Of course, I loved that it is located in a tiny community in a deeply forested area of Sweden. It is the crushing isolation and the economic loss killing the little town that seems to force the only claim to fame it possesses—a winning junior ice hockey team. Some of these kids are so good they are recruited to professional hockey. Too much weight on the shoulders of teenagers, however, builds the tension that eventually threatens to bury the last of their hopes.

The moderator led us into several spirited discussions and nuances I’d missed on my own. When I read it earlier, I thought it was an emotional look at parenting, teenage angst, friendships, and disloyalty. I could understand the decisions made while at the same time railed at the loss it reflected.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Book Club Thoughts

Spirited discussion on many of the book club’s point discussions. Most were shocked at the turn of events to the tragic circumstances about half-way into the book and then further shocked at the sharp division of opinion or sentiments about the incident. Of course, that was the driving emotion triggering frustration at the lack of options. Hidden behind the division of he said/she said was the obvious impact of how any remedy could possibly affect the entire future of the little town. No equitable solution in sight.

As possibly expected, the group hit the same wall as the author expected his readers would. Was there ever to be an equitable solution? Must it always be the sacrifice of one or a few for the good of the many?

Book Club book ratings vote

Book Details:

Genre: Sports Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction
Publisher: Atria Books
ISBN: 978-1501160783
ASIN: B01KG5GQDS
Print Length: 430 pages
Publication Date: April 25, 2017
Source: Local Library

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Fredrik Backman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown, Us Against You, The Winners, Anxious People and two novellas, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime, as well as one work of nonfiction, Things My Son Needs to Know About the World. His books are published in more than forty countries. His next novel, My Friends, will be published in May 2025. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter @BackmanLand or on Instagram @Backmansk.

Book Club meeting — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini 2.5 Flash

Random Run: The Boston Clairvoyants by Annabelle Lewis #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

The Boston Clairvoyants Series Book 4

Book Blurb:

Boston has a new crime syndicate terrorizing the city. The Delarosa mob, headed by someone unknown, has been on a spree of deadly carjackings, loan sharking, and murders.

Frustrated, Boston Police Detective Samuel Bodine seeks the help of Sidrah Keeling and her psychic powers for seeing the future in the hopes of catching a lead on the organization. In so doing, a portal is opened, forcing the Delarosa organization and Sidrah’s family of psychics onto a collision course.

Only one can survive. And innocents will die.

Destiny has a new plan. A new chase, as Sidrah, Max, Jenny, and the dog, Bones, run to keep up with the twists that come their way. Meanwhile, Delarosa is in disbelief as his destined path is challenged, too.

It’s a fast-paced rollercoaster of a ride. Let the powers begin.

My Review:

The Boston Clairvoyants, who found each other earlier in the series, include Bones, a golden retriever also in possession of extraordinary abilities.

I seem to gravitate towards these types of novels and this is one of my favorite authors, so, yeah, the main characters and the dog all have special talents. Sidrah Keeling is able to see into the future, her partner Max uses a sense of touch, and they are supported by Jenny and Leon. The dog is pretty much a dog but with those special senses we sometimes see in dogs and a little something extra. In this installment, Bones gets to shine.

The group becomes embroiled in a local crime family who are engaged in high-end carjacking among other nefarious activities. Thwarted more than once, they begin to believe they have a plant and in a way—they do.

Oh, it’s twisty and compelling! I loved Bones’ part in this story, as well as the “innocent” teens. The author manages to weave the various lives together that leave the readers holding a collective breath.

It’s fun to imagine that some people might be so gifted or had you been born with the talent, how you might use it. This is well plotted and paced with layered mysteries, engaging characters and, bonus, a special dog.

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: Psychic Mysteries, Organized Crime, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries
ISBN: 979-8986281674
ASIN: B0FBLTSNXN
Print Length: 301 pages
Publication Date: June 1, 2025
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

The Author: Annabelle Lewis—a pseudonym for the author—lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Regrettably? Perhaps. She still believes she’s a Texan even though the math no longer supports that. Nor her birthplace. Nor her residence. No offense, Minnesota. You’ve got your good points too, but only about six months of the year.

In her youth, Annabelle was a complete failure. Ask anyone who knew her. Any of her teachers and family would tell you this. High school graduation was a sad day for all when Annabelle walked proudly off the high school stage, her thoughts consumed with boys, beer, and after-parties, and later into the arms of her parents. Her father’s laughter and singular remark? “I didn’t think you’d make it. Get a job at the post office, they have a good retirement plan.”

A high bar and words to live by, but Annabelle wanted more. She needed to flunk out of college too. But damn, she sure did have a good time. Trivial arrest records not-withstanding, it was a growth period for our girl. And if you look closely, you’ll see a bit of what was to come when she majored in criminal justice. Her lifelong aspiration was to become a judge. Hmm.

For better or worse, Annabelle didn’t graduate from college but did find gainful employment and a fulfilling career. This path ended when she became a mom. Married to her wonderful George, who to this day can hardly remember an actual proposal, Annabelle finally became a mother. She didn’t have a clue how hard she would need to work to keep those self-imposed requirements of Downey-fresh, iron-pressed sheets, home-baked meals, and mom-of-the-year awards arriving. She composed a small self-affirmation song and made her children sing it to her for money. She was a very good mom.

After clearing the largest hurdles of motherhood and regrettably, begrudgingly, and not-without-tears, launching her children onto the world, she looked around and realized she had a lot to say. Picking up a laptop, she got to work.

Annabelle spends her days continuing to tackle the challenges of motherhood, for both her humans and canines. She also writes. And reads. And cleans. And cooks. And bakes. And cleans again. She also supports her husband, George, in an administrative capacity for their small business. She’s in charge of payroll and cuts George’s checks. This leads to no marital acrimony.

In the beginning, with the blank page staring at her and possibly in a hostile mood after being literally mauled by a dog and by the world in general, she had an idea. What if she could wield a force of good upon unsuspecting evil-doers? What if she had the resources to get the job done without dealing with committee and anyone else’s whiney-ass opinions?

It was gold. It took off. Annabelle sat down and began to write and couldn’t stop. To date, having written over a million words in the Carrows Family Chronicles and her second series on the Boston Clairvoyants, several items have become quite clear. Annabelle had a lot to say. Annabelle really enjoys writing. And although she hates all things technology, she begrudgingly pounds her head on her desk daily as obstacles are thrown in her path. Almost a hero.

Since entering her world of make-believe, she has rebelled against all intrusion of real-world responsibilities. Her house is a mess, but she tries. Her family is fed, but more often than not, on takeout. She vows to shower every day, but no, it’s a vow she’ll never keep. Her friends are neglected, but not in her heart.

Read her mordacious blog! Read her books! Follow her on social platforms! Sign up for her newsletter! These are all good things. What are you waiting for? Jump into bed with Annabelle. She’s having a swell time. You should join her.

#TuesdayBookBlog

Rosepoint Reviews – June Recap – Toasty Temps – Cool Books

Progress came to a screeching halt with spring cleaning. Now with sizzling summer temps, little progress outside, and air conditioning inside, none to zip inside. Windows are a biggee, inside and out, but it’s too hot to contemplate doing windows in 97 degree temps with “feel like” temps of 105 F. Closets, cupboards, still beckon but at least it was hot enough to clean rugs and have them dry enough to walk on within a half a day.

Also, despite all the prep and barricades surrounding my veggies, the varmints found a way to eat the beans and peas, and most anything else I was hoping to harvest by July. I am, however, raising a bountiful crop of mosquitoes in the little water tub for the lotus seeds I planted and coaxed to the surface. The lotus seeds need six hours of sun and don’t get that on the deck but appear quite happy for the time being.

I’m thinking at this point if the critters won’t eat my tomatoes or radishes, maybe that’s all I can count on in my veggie garden. I may rip it out and put in a water feature—transplant my lotus plants. Maybe I could grow frogs.

Of course, we are still going to the Y three times a week, greatly enjoying the classes, meeting other seniors, and discovering muscles we forgot we had. We added another class for the current challenge, ending in August.

My “boys,” the CE and our son, celebrated birthdays the end of June. Upcoming doctor visits are beginning to take an additional toll on time with each birthday though, a reminder that time marches on…and on…

We reviewed sixteen books in June—trying to catch up with the books read during the May hiatus. (I’m still not entirely caught up.) The book up for review in July at the Y Book Club is Beartown, of which I’m familiar, of course, but will have to get the book and familiarize myself with salient points. I had a difficult time with it first time through.

The source of our books is our library, NetGalley, and author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

#RosepointPublishing #JuneRecap

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
Blackout by David Rosenfelt (audiobook)

Mini-reviews

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt (CE review)

Fatal Verdict by Peter O’Mahoney (CE review)

Smoke on the Water by Jack Bartley (CE review)

What We Left Behind by Luisa A Jones (CE review)

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano (audiobook)
One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood (audiobook-book club)
Body of Evidence by Stephen Penner (CE review)
A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander
The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman (audiobook)
How to Hotwire an Airplane by Henry Rausch (buddy read with the CE)
Folded Corners by Jean Grainger

Audiobooks Mini-Reviews

Never Lie by Freida McFadden (audiobook)

Women of War by Suzanne Cope (audiobook)

The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper (CE review)

Favorite Book of the Month

The CE had more than one five-star review in June. He really loved Smoke on the Water and The Last Conclave, but we both loved How to Hotwire an Airplane.

Favorite for June – How to Hotwire an Airplane

My Reading Challenges page…caught up with May and June but dismayed at the numbers.

The Goodreads landing page may be correct at 94 for a goal of 150 or 63%, but the book count widget is still well off, leading me to believe that even when I reach my goal of 150, it won’t register the win. Otherwise, I appear to be behind in all my challenges except Goodreads.

I hope you found a book or two listed above that appealed to you and I always appreciate your comments. Most especially if you have reading suggestions! Have a warm but safe July!

Folded Corners: The Knocknashee Series-Book 5 by Jean Grainger #BookReview #HistoricalIrishFiction

Book 5 of 6: The Knocknashee Story

#1 New Release in Historical Irish

Book Blurb:

The winter of 1942 casts a long shadow over pen-friends Richard and Grace. The world is teetering on the brink of destruction as war consumes continent after continent.

When a letter arrives for Grace from a distant land she can scarcely place on a map, it brings news so shocking it reverberates through the entire village, with everyone offering conflicting advice.

Meanwhile in bomb-scarred London, Richard is presented with the journalistic opportunity of a lifetime. The potential for career-defining reporting is immense, but so too are the dangers that shadow every step.

Yet his professional dilemma pales beside the turmoil in his heart. Logic and longing wage their own private war within him, and the battlefield offers no refuge.

Folded Corners is the captivating fifth instalment in the beloved Knocknashee Story series, weaving together threads of loyalty, courage, and impossible love against the darkest chapter of the twentieth century.

My Review:

From the pen of the master storyteller Jean Grainger, the continuing story of Richard and Grace has us now thoroughly hooked like a string of trout.

Realistically, if this is Book 5 of 6, then something has to give and give soon. I suspect, however, the author has a few more little twists you won’t see coming.

From the latest revelation by Richard to a letter that sets off another crisis of Catholic proportions, Grace must wrestle with another predictament with the church and Irish attitudes. In the meantime, Richard is grappling with his own inherent fear and a career opportunity he can’t pass up.

There is never a dull moment in Knocknashee, nor in a series that weaves such an intricate tale that keeps you coming back for more. As complex as the novels are, teaching history, Irish politics, and religious faith, the author uses compelling and sympathetic characters you’ve come to care about.

You can try to second guess this series but there is always a magic trick pulled out of another hat and she does just that with this episode. I almost chuckled when I thought I’d figured out how this will come together.

Brilliant!

But we’ll just have to wait and see. I suspect Ms Grainger is still holding out a card or two.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from the author that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts. It’s a mesmerizing series, one that keeps the reader anxious for the next installment. This is a good one, but I’d recommend starting with Book 1.

Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Irish Fiction, Historical British & Irish Literature, Friendship Fiction
ISBN: 978-1917732154
ASIN: B0F4JRDMNG
Print Length: 303 pages
Publication Date: June 30, 2025
Source: Author

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK

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.

#TuesdayBookBlog

A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander #BookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

A Secret Bookcase Mystery

Book Blurb:

In the gripping conclusion to The Secret Bookcase series, Annie Murray races to untangle the ultimate plot twist…

Life is good for Annie: she’s found healing at the Secret Bookcase, her beloved Agatha Christie-themed mystery bookstore in the cozy town of Redwood Grove, and is on the brink of launching her very own detective agency. But she’s still haunted by one unsolved case: the murder of her best friend Scarlet ten years ago.

When Annie heads to Santa Clara for their annual book fair, she’s looking forward to meeting fellow booklovers. And she’s also got a secret mission: she’ll be close to Silicon Summit Partners, the powerful investment firm she just knows had a hand in Scarlet’s death. But when an industry colleague is murdered at the book fair, Annie is first on the scene to investigate. The suspect list reads like a book lover’s who’s who: a celebrity author with a suspicious agenda, a rival with a grudge, and even a kindly grandmother pursuing her lifelong dream of owning a bookstore.

With her fellow bookseller and crime-fighting partner Fletcher playing Watson to her Holmes, can Annie catch the killer before they strike again? And will it distract her from her mission to finally bring her best friend Scarlet’s murderer to justice?

This fun-filled and clean cozy mystery will keep you guessing until the very end. Perfect for fans of Lauren Elliott, Merryn Allingham and M.C. Beaton, and book lovers everywhere.

My Review:

I’ve been a fan of this author for some time. She can weave a great cozy mystery at the same time as infusing the storyline with engaging atmospherics.

“A hint of a strong antiseptic cleaner hung in the air, mingled with the distinct scent of corruption.”

Annie Murray has been looking forward to this book fair for some time, not just because she’ll hook up with industry colleagues, but it will give her access to the Silicon Summit Partners, who Annie has long suspected was instrumental in the death of her best friend, Scarlet, who was soon to be her partner in their new detective agency, Novel Detectives.

It’s not like Annie hasn’t gained some experience in the latter and, fortunately, she has a close associate, Fletcher Hughes, who’ll have her back at the book fair and at the investment firm she’ll investigate while there.

While Annie is attending the book fair and learning about virtual reality reading, there is a suspicious death. The victim was pushing his virtual reality reading device heavily surrounded by contentious activity. Was it the motive for murder?

Perhaps the headset wasn’t fully ready for market? Annie is working, unofficially, with the slightly green detective on the case while she proceeds with plans to secure evidence from the investment firm.

It looks like Annie has a strong set of support characters for her work with her new agency as well as backup for her bookstore, the Secret Bookcase. This series culminated with the exposure of Scarlet’s killer, so while this might have been the final episode of this series, the spin-off, Novel Detectives is slated to start early in 2026. It’s looking to be a good one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Rating: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Craft & Hobby Mysteries, Cozy Animal Mysteries, Amateur Sleuths
Publisher: Storm Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1805089919
ASIN: B0DVZDJ13Q
Print Length: 238 pages

Publication Date: June 16, 2025 Just Released!

Source: Publisher and NetGalley

Title Link(s):

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble

The Author: ELLIE ALEXANDER is a voracious storyteller, a lover of words and all things bookish. She believes that stories have the ability to transport and transform us. With over thirty published novels and counting, her goal is to tell stories that provide points of connection, escape, and understanding.

She loves inhabiting someone else’s skin through the pages of a book and is passionate about helping writers find their unique storytelling lens. As a writing teacher and coach, she guides writers in crafting the story they’ve always wanted to tell while navigating the path to publication that’s right for them.

Find out more about Ellie, her books, and writing courses by visiting her online:

Website: https://www.elliealexander.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellie_alexander

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/elliealexanderauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliealexanderauthor

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elliealexanderauthor

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ellielovesbooks

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/elliealexanderauthor

Cozy Summer Reading — AI generated graphic courtesy Gemini Flash 2.5

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave: A Novel by Elle Cosimano #AudiobookReview #TuesdayBookBlog

Best Books of the Year So Far 2025

Book Blurb:

Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero, have not always gotten along with Finlay’s elderly neighbor, Mrs. Haggerty, the community busybody and president of the neighborhood watch. But when a dead body is discovered in her backyard, Mrs. Haggerty needs their help. At first a suspect, Mrs. Haggerty is cleared by the police, but her house remains an active crime scene. She has nowhere to go . . . except Finlay’s house, right across the street.

Finlay and Vero have no interest in getting involved in another murder case—or sacrificing either of their bedrooms. After all, they’ve dealt with enough murders over the last four months to last a lifetime and they both would much rather share their beds with someone else.

When the focus of the investigation widens to include Finlay’s ex-husband, Steven, though, Finlay and Vero are left with little choice but to get closer to Mrs. Haggerty and uncover her secrets . . . before the police start digging up theirs. But who will solve the mystery first?

A Macmillan Audio production from Minotaur Books.

My Review:

It’s been a year since I read Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice and now here we are with Book 5 of the quirky, irreverent series featuring a writer (Finlay) who’s hit the wall and is usually frantically trying to stall her New Jersey(?) editor while she comes up with something. Her best friend, Vero, has a dubious background and often times comes up with slightly illegal solutions to Finlay’s current problems.

And Finlay seems to have them. Usually of her own making.

She has two little ones and miraculously manages all the mischief-making without involving the young and innocent.

Finlay and Vero (who was originally supposed to help her manage the babies, the house, and be a quasi-assistant), are of similar age and persuasion. They are young, smart, and independent. Their dialogue is fast, snarky, and very contemporary.

I was hooked by the first installment and read each one since. I found a few over the top for me but came back for more anyway. This one includes an old lady (good old Mrs. Haggerty—the neighbor—save me from the narrator’s switch in voice—so annoying).

The plot, however, is clever, twisty, and humorous and I found it fast and fun. Just the right amount of romance (Finlay has a hot cop boyfriend and Vero also a new love interest), sexual innuendo, and trash talk. For the most part, the narrator does a credible job with the switch in voices and situation. Gotta run to keep up!

Enjoy something modern, engaging, and entertaining? If you haven’t already, might try this one.

I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Humorous Fiction & Satire, Women Sleuth Mysteries, Humorous Fiction
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
ASIN: B0D3622PF1
Listening Length: 9 hrs 11 mins
Narrator: Angela Dawe
Publication Date: March 4, 2025
Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections)
Title Links: Amazon-US
Amazon-UK
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

The Author: Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Award winner, and an Edgar® Award nominee. Her acclaimed young adult novels include Nearly Gone, Holding Smoke, The Suffering Tree, and Seasons of the Storm. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a PEOPLE Magazine Pick and one of New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2021. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in The Huffington Post and Time. Elle lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia. You can learn more about her at her website: http://www.ElleCosimano.com.