The Overbooked Bibliophile

Rating:  3.5⭐️ It has been over three years since we met last Molly Gray, who is now Head Maid at the Regency Grand Hotel – a badge she wears with pride. But Molly has been having a difficult day (to put it mildly !). The hotel had been hosting a VIP event and everything needed to be for the VIP guest, award-winning mystery writer J. D. Grimthorpe and the fifty-odd invitees - a task Molly and her trainee Lily approached with much diligence. The reclusive author had chosen the venue to make a rare public appearance to make an important announcement. But when the author drops dead just as he begins the session, Molly finds herself once again in the middle of another murder investigation headed by none other than Detective Stark – someone whom Molly isn’t too happy to see again. Evidence indicates that the author did not die of natural causes, and the suspect list includes Grimethorpe’s associates and the hotel guests and staff. We follow Molly as she uses her unique methods of analyzing

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Goodbye Cat  by  Hiro Arikawa  (translated by  Philip Gabriel ) is a collection of seven stories revolving around the relationship between cats and their humans as told from the perspectives of seven cats and their families with much wisdom, heart, and humor. Written in simple prose, the stories vary in length and tone and touch upon themes of love, loyalty, companionship, family and grief. In the first story, The Goodbye Cat (4/5), we meet an elderly cat who endeavors to change into a supernatural spirit so that death won't separate him from his human family. A new father rescues a kitten from a recycling bin and in caring for it, learns much about fatherhood. Bringing Up Baby (4/5). A family is perplexed by their new cat’s devotion to their indifferent father in Good Father/ Bad Father (4/5). In Cat Island ( 5/5), we follow a young boy’s experiences on a trip to an island inhabited by cats with his father and his new wife. Her cat’s nightly visits are a cause for

Rating:  4.5⭐️ The final installment in author  Elodie Harper’s Wolf Den Trilogy  opens in Rome in 79 AD. Amara is now a courtesan under the patronage of an influential man who is close to the ruling Emperor. She leads an affluent life surrounded by powerful men and their politics but misses her daughter Rufina, whom she left behind in Pompeii in the care of Philos. Amara often reflects on her past, the people she has lost and the events that brought her to the present day. When a twist of fate brings Amara back to Pompeii, amid friends and foes, it is up to her to protect her dear ones from those who wish to harm them and destroy the life that Amara had so painstakingly built for herself. Unbeknownst to her, old enemies aren’t the only threats to her life, as a catastrophic event is about to wreak havoc on Pompeii. “Even the most powerful woman can be broken by love.” Heartbreaking yet hopeful, inspiring and immersive  The Temple of Fortuna  is a worthy conclusion to the  Wolf Den Tri

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ In 1993, Cincinnati, we meet Clara Vogel, acquiring several porcelain figurines in an auction, among which is a piece called The Viking, which was inspired by one of her late artist mother’s most famous works. Clara’s search for the figure is motivated by her quest to find her father – a man she never met and whose identity is a mystery to her. All she knows is that he was “the porcelain maker of Dachau” – as revealed to her by her ailing mother, Bettina, before she passed away. The porcelain figure has a historically significant maker’s mark, which could be instrumental in tracing its origin and shed light on Clara’s family history. Her quest takes her into a deep dive into her mother's past, Bettina’s life in Nazi-occupied Europe and the man she loved. Told through dual timelines, Bettina’s story begins in 1929 and the Bauhaus movement and how she, a German painter, falls in love with Max, an Austrian Jew studying to be an architect. As they struggle to stay together

Book: 4.5⭐ Audio Narration: 3.5⭐ A botched mugging leaves one Supreme Court law clerk dead and another seriously injured. The murdered law clerk Robert Finley had been working for Supreme Court Chief Justice Clarissa Baxter who is scheduled to cast the deciding vote for the verdict in a controversial lithium mining case that has several influential people desperate to protect their own interests. Missing from the scene of the crime was Robert’s backpack with important notes on the case. The injured law clerk Brooke Chaplin is the niece of Detective Frank Mancini of the Arlington Police Department and a tenant at the boardinghouse for government employees run by Former FBI Agent Ethel Fiona Crestwater in Arlington, Virginia. Frank is a former boarder and friend of Ethel’s which prompts her to offer to help in the investigation. Joining Ethel in her efforts is her double-first-cousin-twice-removed, Jesse, who also resides in the same boarding house and is a university student. Though ret

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐ “We need a moral: let us be patient with each other and with ourselves, and suffer the diverse paces at which we move through one another’s time and space.” Ladies' Lunch and Other Stories   by  Lore Segal   revolves around a group of friends in their 80s and 90s. While many of the stories have been previously published throughout the author’s illustrious career, a few are relatively newer. Through the course of ten of the sixteen short stories, we follow Ruth, Bridget, Farah, Lotte, and Bessie, friends for over four decades who have a lifetime of memories they share over their luncheons, as they also confront the challenges of aging, loneliness, loss of friends and family, the COVID lockdown and much more. Though the ladies’ luncheons and their discussions form the larger part of the collection, we also get a handful of “other” stories ranging from themes of childhood memories, the Holocaust, age related ailments, and nostalgia. Insightful, heartfelt and bittersweet, I

Rating: 4.5⭐ In the second installment of David Baldacci’s  The 6.20 Man  series Former U.S. Army Ranger Travis Devine is tasked with solving the mystery behind the murder of a CIA operative Jennifer Silkwell in her hometown in Putnam Maine. Her laptop and phone are missing, which raises national security concerns. Travis’s handler has a close personal connection with Jennifer's family, which also makes it personal. Posing as a special investigator with Homeland Security, Travis collaborates with local law enforcement in finding the killer. But a small town has many secrets and people aren't too welcoming to outsiders and local officials extend their hospitality only up to a point. As Travis investigates the Silkwell family, Jennifer’s siblings, and the townspeople, it is evident there is more to Jennifer’s murder than meets the eye. Travis uncovers a possible connection between Jennifer's murder and past crimes (and coverups) committed in the area and soon discovers that t

  Rating:  4.5⭐️ " There are many crossroads in life. All regrets stem from what happened at one moment we never imagined would happen to us. When our own action brings about an unexpected result, how can we not experience huge regret? After all, do we ever get another shot?” Before We Say Goodbye   by  Toshikazu Kawaguchi   (translated by  Geoffrey Trousselot ) is the fourth installment of the Before the Coffee Gets Cold series and personally one of my favorites (along with Book #2,  Tales from the Café  ) . Set in Café Funiculi Funicula in Tokyo, we meet an interesting cast of characters (both old and new) – café regulars, owners and staff and first-time visitors who come to the café for the unique experience of time travel. The rules are the same and no one can change their past. Then why go back? Love, regret, nostalgia, guilt, the need to say goodbye and to share what was left unsaid. In four interconnected stories we meet a former professor who spent most of his life busy w

Rating: 3.75⭐ When true crime writer and podcaster Harley Granger arrives in the small town of Little Valley, New York, just days before Christmas, bookstore owner Madeline Martin is compelled to revisit a traumatic event from her past. It has been over a decade since Madeline survived a vicious attack that left her seriously injured. On the same night, her close friend Stephanie was murdered and two other girls, also friends of Madeline and Stephanie, disappeared. Madeline’s then-boyfriend Evan Handy was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to life in prison. Madeline survived, though her memories of the events of that night remain cloudy. She has made life for herself in her hometown, keeps busy with the bookstore and takes care of her ailing father who was once the Sheriff of the town, but is wary of romantic relationships. Evan Handy maintains that he is innocent, and Harley Granger is in town to find out as much as can about the old case as well as the most recent disappearanc

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐ So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women  by  Claire Keegan  is the most recent collection of the author’s short stories comprising three of her previously published works. Even though I had already read two of the three short stories in the collection, I was more than happy to read them again. That’s the beauty of Claire Keegan’s work. Every reread provides something new to ponder upon. In the first story  So Late in the Day  (4/5), we meet the protagonist, Cathal, in the course of his routine workday. The date is a significant one (which is revealed later) and throughout the day his thoughts often drift to Sabine, the woman with whom he had been in a relationship. As he reflects on the relationship – the highs and the lows- he is compelled to assess how his attitude toward Sabine and women, in general, contributed to the end of their relationship. In  The Long and Painful Death  (4.5/5), we meet a thirty-nine-year-old writer in residence at the seaside home of Heinric

Rating:⭐⭐⭐  On the night of their teenage daughter Chole’s school play Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp and her husband Axel, an investigator with the Black Harbor Police Department, are called away to a crime scene involving a dead teenager. Madison Caldwell, their daughter’s best friend, is found brutally murdered and on the same night, Chloe does not return home after her school play and she is presumed to be a suspect in Maison’s death. “You’ll love me more when I’m dead.” As Rowan and Axel search for Chloe, the deep dive into their daughter's life reveals plenty of teenage drama, rivalry, scandalous rumors, and secrets. How well did they know their own daughter? When another of Chloe’s classmates is found murdered, it becomes evident that someone is targeting Chloe’s friends. Is Chloe alive? Will she be one of the killer’s next victims, or is she behind the murders? Can they find her before it is too late? Having enjoyed the first two books in author Hannah Morrissey’s  Black H

Rating:  4.5⭐️ Set in 1872, Leesburg, Virginia,  Veil of Doubt  by  Sharon Virts  is based on the true story of Emily Lloyd, a widow who stands accused of poisoning her three-year-old daughter Maud. Maud had been recovering from a bout of ill health when her condition suddenly deteriorates and the attending doctor voices his suspicions. Maud’s death had been preceded by the deaths of Emily’s three other children and other members of Emily’s family, which resulted in rumors with many convinced that Emily was somehow responsible. Though initially reluctant to take Emily’s case, Powell Harrison, a brilliant attorney who has experienced similar loss in the past, finds himself sympathetic to Emily’s situation and eventually agrees to take her case. The narrative follows her defense team, headed by Powell, as they leave no stone unturned in unraveling the mystery behind the deaths in Emily’s family and proving her innocence. Veil of Doubt is an exceptionally well-researched and gripping work

Rating:  3.5⭐ As the story begins, we find lawyers Olufemi (Femi)Hassan and Charlotte Holroyd once again tasked by now-retired Roderick Tanner, KC to peruse a bundle of correspondence between members of The Fairway Players, a community theater group from Lower Lockwood who are again embroiled in a mystery involving one of their own. The Fairway Players are gearing up for their Christmas production. This time it’s a pantomime of Jack and the Beanstalk and the proceeds are meant to go to repairing the church roof. Leadership within the community theater group has changed hands and though much effort is being made toward casting, rehearsals, costumes and of course, set design which includes an old but impressive beanstalk, there is quite a bit of tension between old and new leadership. Opening night is not without mishaps and some not-so-pleasant surprises including a body in a Santa suit on stage. As the narrative progresses, we follow the investigation in the aftermath of the incident.