"Road Longer Than Memory", by Melanie McCabe

First, I must admit this is the best first-person narrative I read in a long time. Not only did Melanie McCabe penned a very gripping mystery that delved into the complexities of memory, guilt and the cost of suppressing feelings she did so with aplomb.

Set against the backdrop of suburban 1970s and 80

“Road Longer Than memory” is the story of Sara Barlow returning home in Arlington, Virginia after her love life fell apart and her teaching career tanked. Applying for a teaching job at her old high school would be her next move…when roaming the grounds she unexpectedly spotted a man she suspected to be involved in a classmate’s murder decades earlier….Her life will change for ever…

The slow-burning dual timelines advances through Sara past memories about her family, her sister’s fatal car crash, her secret summer with Devlin Barrie, the anonymous call to 911 made after witnessing what she believed was a murder….and the discovery of Nina’s body. The story forges ahead through rumours that are tough to prove, fleshed out via hearsay and presumptions.

I love this story for its atmospheric tension and the way it weaves past and present. What won my heart is the most engaging narrative and how well-written it is delivered.

Well said and well-done

My thanks to Oceanview Publishing for this ARC

"Dungeons and Danger", by Elizabeth Penney

The Ravensea Castle Book #2

This cozy mystery is set in a haunted castle-turned B&B in Yorkshire, UK.

As Halloween approaches the castle is buzzing with excitement so is Nora Asquith welcoming guests to her newly converted bed and breakfast. Historians have traced movements of Vikings to Ravensea and believed a certain woman known as the Red Maiden may have buried a treasure on the propriety long before the castle was even built…..When a group ghost hunters arrives with all their rivalries and baggage and try to make contact with the infamous ghost , they ended up getting more than they bargained for…..and the fun begins…enjoy.

My thoughts:

A dream castle complete with ghosts. What more can we ask…

This story expertly blends a mystery with romantic complications for the innkeeper turned sleuth, Nora Asquith. The plot covers a lot of ground from treasure hunters, ghost hunters and along the way gives us ghostly encounters: Sir Percival with a sense a humour shows up so is the famous Red Maiden teasing with her ghostly presence.

The point is: the treasure buried may be worth a fortune too much of a lure to resist and well worth killing for to be the one and only one to find it… Tweedy was not so lucky…first victim but not he last. Very exciting following this mystery into the deep dungeons of Revensea.

This story is intriguing and the many recurring and new characters are likeable even the family pets have a role here. I liked passing time with this bunch of misfits and I am looking forward to the next installment

My thanks to St-Martin’s Press for this ARC which I received via Netgalley

"The Last Mandarin", by Louise Penny & Mellisa Fung

A political Intrigue

A joint adventure between a widely acclaimed author and a veteran journalist, best-seller author and award-winning filmmaker made this fiction an electrifying study of power and greed and is a thrill to read.

“The Last Mandarin”, explores the themes of estrangement, sacrifice and personal conviction.

The story follows Alice Li, a first-generation Chinese-American and former food blogger, and her mother Vivien Li, a Tiananmen Square dissident turned global human rights activist. When simultaneous security and fire alarms trigger worldwide panic, the duo is called to the White House to interpret the potential threat from China, forcing them to navigate both global stakes and personal estrangement.

This plot spins a fast-paced and suspenseful political thriller while the narrative moves from Washington, D.C. to Ohio and Hong Kong keeping us engaged in the political tension. The interaction between Alice and her mother adds emotional depth and intimate moments. I appreciated how in the story elements such as an ancient legend and a secret language invented by women are smoothly incorporated to enrich the narrative and provide a unique cultural dimension.

This story is well crafted, as compelling characters and most of all maintains suspense from start to finish. Appreciated most of all the journalistic realism of the political aspect of the story.

I warn you it’s an exhausting read following Alice and Vivien around the globe to track down the culprit….

What will be the fates of Alice’s family, the U.S. and China, and the history of the world as we know it……You will have to give this thriller a go….

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for this ARC which I received via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.