Book Review: Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams

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Murder in the Mystery Suite (Book Retreat Mysteries, #1) by Ellery Adams is the first book in the Book Retreat Mysteries series and is set in western Virginia at a charming resort called Storyton Hall. This unique resort is designed specifically for book lovers who want to escape, unwind, and immerse themselves in their favorite stories. The resort’s manager, Jane Steward, decides to host a themed “Murder and Mayhem Week” inviting mystery enthusiasts to gather, role-play, and solve fictional crimes. However, the event takes a dark turn when one of the guests is found dead in his suite and a valuable prize goes missing. Jane must uncover which guest is responsible for the murder before the retreat is ruined . Before picking up this novel, I had only read one other book in the series. I decided to start from the beginning as part of my New Year’s resolution to finally read books I purchased years ago. I’m so glad I did. Starting with the first installment allowed me to fully appreciat...
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Book Review: Two for Sorrow (Josephine Tey, #3) by Nicola Upson

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two for sorrow josephine tey #3 nicola upson
Back in 2010, I discovered a website called Goodreads.com where I could keep track of what books I had read, what I was currently reading, and books that I wanted to read. Then, I found out that you could enter giveaways for a chance to win an advanced readers copy, also known as an ARC, of a book or a book that had already been published. I have been fortunate enough to win several books through Goodreads.com's First Reads Giveaways. One of those books was Two for Sorrow (Josephine Tey, #3) written by Nicola Upson. I received this novel for free in exchange for my honest review.

Not knowing anything at all about the author going into reading Two for Sorrow (Josephine Tey, #3), I had absolutely no preconceived ideas about Nicola Upson. Overall, the book was relatively well written, and the style of writing reminded me a bit of P.D. James. It was interesting enough to keep my attention until I got about halfway through the book. At that point, the story line really started to drag for me, and I had to push through it. When I got to the last eighty or so pages of Two for Sorrow (Josephine Tey, #3), the narrative really started to pick up. Even though this is the third book in a series, it definitely can be read as a stand alone book. I gave this novel three out of five stars because the book redeemed itself in my opinion. If you liked this book, then I definitely recommend you try reading Devices and Desires (Adam Dalgliesh, #8) by P.D. James.

Synopsis of Two for Sorrow (Josephine Tey, #3):  A mystery writer named Josephine Tey is writing a novel based on two British women who were hanged for the crimes of murdering newborns. While researching her novel, Josephine finds herself entangled in a hunt for a modern day killer.


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