Vanished Beyond the Map by Adam Shoalts

 

Facts about Hubert Darrell:

• He was born in England in 1874 and emigrated to Canada when he was 16.
• He worked at farming for awhile, then panned for gold in the Klondike, but his true love in life was exploring the vast wilderness of Canada's Northwest Territory, on foot and alone.
• His exploration & map-making skills, uncanny abilities, physical endurance and tenacity earned the respect and admiration of Roald Amundsen.
• Famous polar explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson said: "The few white men who were on the north coast of Canada between 1906 and 1912 agree that Hubert Darrell was its greatest arctic traveler."
• His countless journeys added up to a record few could match. 
• "In November 1910, Darrell was exploring and filling in blanks on existing maps alone in the Western Arctic near the Anderson river when he mysteriously vanished."

Fascinated by this lost and largely forgotten explorer, author Adam Shoalts spent years combing through archives, tracking down letters and old newspapers, and even venturing on several canoe trips and wilderness expeditions of his own to track Hubert Darrell's accomplishments and trace his many solitary journeys, hoping to learn what became of him. His book is part history, part compelling detective story and part wilderness adventure. And his words transported me to the far northern reaches of Canada as he trekked through those remote arctic lands few have ever seen. I was enthralled. And I came away with profound respect for both Hubert Darrell and Adam Shoalts.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The House at Devil's Neck by Tom Mead

 Nine strangers.

A notorious mansion.

An isolated island. 

A suicide that might be murder.

And a locked-room mystery.

The plot:  While Inspector George Flint of Scotland Yard investigates the apparent suicide of Rodney Edgecombe in London, Joseph Spector, former magician extraordinaire, heads to Devil's Neck for a weekend seance. When one of the other guests ends up dead, Spector immediately figures out it's murder. But finding the murderer is another matter.

My thoughts: Tom Mead's mysteries are like an homage to those classic locked-room Golden Age mysteries I love to read. There are always clever tricks and deceits in them. And Joseph Spector, a master of illusion himself, can spot them all. He's the other reason I really love these books. He and Flint work so well together. And even though they are apart for most of this book, I love how their two separate investigations come together at the end. There are a lot of surprises along the way, but also enough clues for you to figure it out if you're really clever. Which I was not. But I sure did have fun reading this one! 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The Last Sister by Kendra Elliot

 

from the blurb:  Twenty years ago Emily Mills’s father was murdered, and she found his body hanging in the backyard. Her younger sister, Madison, claims she was asleep in her room. Her older sister, Tara, claims she was out with friends. The tragedy drove their mother to suicide and Tara to leave town forever. The killer was caught. The case closed.

Ever since, Emily and Madison have tried to forget what happened that night—until an eerily similar murder brings it all back. It also brings FBI special agent Zander Wells to the Oregon logging town. As eager as he is to solve the brutal double slaying, he is just as intrigued with the mystery of Emily’s and her sisters’ past.

my thoughts:  I've read many of Elliot's mysteries, but somehow missed this one. And it's a good one. I really liked Agent Zander Wells and his partner, Agent Ava McLane; they worked well together, even when the local sheriff  wasn't very cooperative. I also liked Emily and her three elderly aunts. They are an eccentric bunch and made me laugh. I thought Elliot did a great job of weaving together the past and present mysteries. And she always brings life to her Oregon setting, which is another thing I like about her books. This is a compelling and well-written novel. 

rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Fighting Edge by Margaret Mizushima

 

Deputy Mattie Walker and her K-9 partner, Robo, have their hands full when a simple welfare check leads to murder, and a routine traffic stop reveals drugs and a possible link to a human trafficking ring. 

Once again Margaret Mizushima has crafted a tightly plotted and dynamic mystery. This is the 11th book in her Timber Creek K-9 series, and it's every bit as good as all her previous books. This is one of my favorite series. The mysteries are always interesting and the characters entertaining. I really like Mattie and her veterinarian husband, Cole, and how well they deal with their demanding jobs, his two daughters, and their ever-deepening relationship. And I love Robo! He's such a cute and engaging character. Dogs make every book better imo. And Robo is the best.

Happy Reading!

Other books in this series that I've reviewed:

Killing Time (#1)

Stalking Ground (#2)

Hunting Hour (#3)

Burning Ridge (#4)

Tracking Game (#5) 

Hanging Falls (#6) 

Striking Range (#7)

Gathering Mist (#9) 

Dying Cry (#10) 

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

 

Who:  Dorothy Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Baroness Emma Orczy and Margery Allingham.

When:  1931

Where:  London, England and Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France

What: These five mystery writers, otherwise known as the Queens of Crime, are determined to solve the very real murder of a young English nurse named May Daniels.

Why read it: This book is a fun combination of historical fiction and mystery. And it's so well written. Dorothy Sayers is the main narrator and the main driver of the plot. I thought the author did a good job of depicting her and the other four women authors. I really enjoyed their interactions. And the mystery was interesting, too. I liked how these five women call on their unique writerly skills to aid in their investigation. It's an interesting time period to read about, too. All in all, an entertaining and satisfying novel. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The Moving Finger by Agatha Christie

 

The plot:  Needing a quiet place to recuperate after an airplane crash, Jerry Burton and his sister, Joanna, rent a cottage called Little Furze in Lymstock. They're not expecting to receive an anonymous letter soon after full of hateful, untruthful accusations. While it makes Joanna laugh, Jerry finds it a little unsettling. Especially when he learns several other people in Lymstock have received similar "poison pen" missives. Then one of the recipients dies by suicide. The police are called in to investigate. And Jerry realizes the culprit must be one of his own neighbors. But who? And why? 

My thoughts: This clever and fun mystery is billed as a Miss Marple mystery, but she doesn't even show up until page 167. And she only makes two other appearances after that. It would have been better, in my opinion, if Christie had just had Jerry solve the murder instead of bringing in Miss Marple for so few scenes at the end. Because Jerry is a personable and engaging narrator. I liked both him and his sister. And I enjoyed this mystery overall, too. I had two ideas of who might be behind it all....but I ended up being wrong on both accounts. Once again, Christie's plot twists were too clever for me. It's not a long book, and it reads fast. And while it's not my favorite Agatha Christie novel, I thought it was an entertaining read. And I never once thought about DNFing it.  😉

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Who is DS George Cross?

 "He was Marmite to most of his colleagues at the MCU. They either liked him or loathed him. There was no in-between. He often came across as rude, difficult or plain obtuse. But it wasn't intentional. George Cross was on the spectrum, which sometimes made him a little challenging to work with. But it was what made him an extraordinary detective."

"...Cross would never give up, particularly when he was told to. He was like a terrier snapping at your heels; once he'd got hold of your trouser leg, he would stubbornly refuse to let go, even if you spun him round in circles."

"It was a full twelve months since she'd become his partner and although it had taken some time to get used to him she had come to respect and understand him. ...In many ways she had become Cross's apologist in the department; his interpreter. She confessed to friends that she might have been less understanding had he not been such an irritatingly brilliant cop. He had the highest conviction rate in the force. By far. Having said that, there were times when she would happily have thrown him off Clifton suspension bridge." 

 The Patient by Tim Sullivan is another excellent mystery in this fun British police procedural series that stars DS George Cross. He's the best kind of character. And I am loving these books. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The Inklings Detective Agency by John R. Kelly

 

Oxford, England. 1936.

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. "Jack" Lewis, his brother, Warren, and the other members of the literary society known as the Inklings, are called upon to help solve the murders of two members of a secret society headed by Aleistor Crowley before the next full moon. These amateur sleuths take on the case, even though their investigation puts them on a dangerous collision course with a murderer.

John R. Kelly brings these famous authors and the city of Oxford to life in this entertaining mystery. I loved Tolkien's and Lewis's interactions. Jack ends up being the main detective, but it was a lot of fun to 'meet' all the other historical figures in it like Warren Lewis, Hugo Dyson, Charles Williams, Dorothy Sayers, and even Agatha Christie. Their discussion about the rules of writing mysteries made me smile. I also really liked the secret society aspect of this mystery; that's always been a big draw for me. Plus, there are great quotes heading each chapter. And you know how much I like bookish quotes. I really enjoyed reading this one, and I very much hope Kelly writes a sequel to it.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Similar read:

What Rough Beast by H.R. Knight 

The Labyrinth House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

Honkaku mystery:  A Japanese subgenre focusing on intricate "fair play" puzzle-solving designed to challenge readers with logical deduction, locked-room scenarios, and complex mechanical tricks. Inspired by Western Golden Age authors like Agatha Christie, these novels typically provide all necessary clues, diagrams, and maps prioritizing the puzzle over literary prose.

Four mystery authors, a critic, an editor and his pregnant wife, and an amateur sleuth have all been invited to a famed mystery writer's isolated home to celebrate his 60th birthday. But when their weekend begins with a shocking death, they find themselves locked inside the Labyrinth House with a murderer. 

This was an entertaining 'locked-room' mystery. It was a little hard at first to keep all the characters straight, but I soon got them figured out. And I really liked Utayama Hideyuki, the editor, and Shimada Kiyoshi, a fan of mystery novels and amateur sleuth. They worked together on solving the puzzles within the Labyrinth House. I guessed one of the twists early on, but there was another twist at the very end I was not expecting. Which added a layer of fun. As did the map of the Labyrinth House included at the beginning of the book and all the allusions to the Greek myth about Minos and the minotaur. I did think the dialogue felt a little stilted at times, but that might have been because of the translation, or just a difference between Japanese and American fiction. Overall, though, I really liked this one. It's definitely made me a fan of Honkaku mysteries. 

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Dark Objects by Simon Toyne

 

From the blurb:  "A glamorous woman is murdered in her ultra-luxurious and highly secure London mansion, and her husband goes missing. But according to public records, neither of them exists. The only leads police have are several items arranged around the woman's body, including a set of keys and a book called How to Process a Murder by Laughton Rees, an academic and forensic expert who does not work live cases. But the presence of her book at the scene draws her into this high-profile investigation working alongside DCI Tannahill Khan. As the dark objects found beside the body lead them closer to the victim's identity, a dangerous threat to Laughton and her daughter emerges." 

My thoughts:  Tantalizing and compelling. This mystery is a nice blend of police procedural and psychological thriller. And I really like DCI Tannahill Khan and Dr. Laughton Rees; it was fun seeing how they met and connected. Rees is a nicely complicated character who is still dealing with the traumatic death of her mother when she was younger. She's very smart and has some interesting quirks and OCD tendencies centering around the number three. And the mystery itself has some nice twists. I hope Toyne writes many more books with her and Khan. This is the first book in the series; I previously read the second book, The Clearing, last month, which is an equally good read.

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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The World Beneath by Rebecca Cantrell

 

The plot in brief: Joe Tesla is a successful multi-millionaire tech genius who helped develop some cutting-edge facial recognition software. 181 days ago, a severe case of agoraphobia drove him underground. Now he spends his days exploring the subterranean world beneath New York City with his psychiatric service dog, Edison. Then on one such exploration, in an abandoned tunnel, he discovers a walled-up train car, two long dead skeletons, a murdered soldier, and some long buried secrets that will put his own life in danger.

My thoughts:  I first heard about this series from Cath @ Read-Warbler, and I'm glad I was able to get a copy of this first Joe Tesla novel from my library because it's a very fun read. Joe Tesla is an intelligent and engaging character; I liked him a lot. I also loved the labyrinth of New York subway tunnels setting, the old Victorian manor built beneath Grand Central Station where he lives, and his cute dog, Edison. There's good tension and lots of action, and an entertaining plot. And the ending sets the stage for the next Joe Tesla book, The Tesla Legacy, which I can't wait to check out. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

 "Strange things happen in Fell, New York."

Growing up with two absent parents in a house haunted by shadows, bad dreams, and a ghostly presence none of them ever dared talk about did not leave the three Esmie children with many happy memories growing up. Except for their little brother, Ben, whom they all loved. Ben made everything better. Until the day he disappeared without a trace during a game of hide-and-seek when he was just six. It's the one moment from their past that haunts them all.

Now, two decades later, Violet, Vail and Dodie are headed back to Fell, New York, and their childhood home. It's time to find out what happened to Ben...and to lay all their ghosts. Especially the one they fear the most. If they can. 

My thoughts:  Eerie. Engrossing. And unsettling. I enjoyed this latest chilling ghost story from Simone St. James. The chapters alternate between the three siblings' POVs, which created nice layers to the mystery of what happened to Ben, because Violet, Vail, and Dodie each have their own memories and perceptions of what happened back then...and they all have their own unique encounters with what's haunting their childhood home now. I liked getting to know Violet, Vail, and Dodie, who are all flawed, but likable, and I enjoyed their sibling interactions...and their mutual adoration of their little brother. 

This is not the scariest ghost story I've ever read, but there's a nice building of suspense and the ending is intense...and satisfying. A fun read.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

P.S. The Sun Down Motel (one of St. James's previous novels) shares the same Fell, New York, setting and is mentioned in this one...which kind of made me want to go back and reread it. The link will take you to my review of that one. 😎

The Clearing by Simon Toyne

 "Never go back into the woods.

That's what she and Maddie had vowed to each other after they had escaped.

Never go back and never look back.

Maddie had done both."

And now she was missing.

Midsummer's Eve. The Forest of Dean. A local legend known as the Cinderman--a local legend who supposedly haunts the woods and preys on young women. An off-grid commune in the forest called The Clearing. Two sisters (Adele and Maddie)...one missing, the other desperate to find her. An Earl and his son. And Dr. Laughton Rees, a criminologist who's been tracking cases of missing women. She heads to the insular community of Cinderfield to help investigate Maddie's disappearance, not knowing there are other dark secrets in play. 

My thoughts:  I think I've found a new favorite author. I really enjoyed this mystery. Toyne creates a real sense of urgency as the evil in Cinderfield starts to close in on Rees and Adele. The tension is palpable. Good writing and good suspense made this a very compelling read. And I really liked Laughton Rees. I very much want to read Toyne's previous mystery with her now. There is one major plot twist at the end of this one that had me questioning the feasibility of it in regards to the timeline. But then I decided to let it go and just enjoy the moment.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Inside Man by John McMahon

 

The team:  Gardner Camden, Joanne "Shooter" Harris, Cassie Pardo, and Richie Brancato, the rookie.

"(We) work for an FBI unit called PAR, which stands for Patterns and Recognition....Our job is to identify peculiarities in cases that have stalled or gone cold. To uncover details that others have missed, then hand the case off, either back to the field office that sent it to us--or to a team in Quantico. When people speak well of us, they call us puzzle-solvers. When they don't, we are thought of as oddballs. Freaks with a bent toward data. Often, they call us 'head cases.'"

Gardner Camden is the leader of this eccentric team, the oddest...and the smartest. He sees and calculates patterns others can't. He also has to remind himself to make small talk, and to smile, and try to show concern for others. Though never with his young daughter, Camila. With her, "I try not to be me."

He and his team are working a fraud case in Florida that quickly becomes complicated with a dead C.I., a missing shipment of ghost guns, the threat of domestic terrorism, and a possible serial killer.

My thoughts:  This book is as propulsive and gripping as McMahon's first Gardner Camden mystery, Head Cases, which was one of my favorite reads last year. Gardner is one of those characters that you can't help but like. And he's dealing with a lot in this novel. I love his interactions with his daughter, and how he figures out the intricacies of this cases. I couldn't put this one down. This novel is well-written, intense, compelling and entertaining. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading! 

Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina

 

The plot:  Anna Horn's life is not easy -- she's bullied and tormented at school, she doesn't seem to fit on the rez either, and she's haunted by a ravenous, mythological entity her uncle told her about when she was seven. The tribal stories she once knew are being forgotten, her parents are arguing, her 15-year-od sister, Grace, is sneaking out at night, and there's something mysterious going on in suite 808 at the casino/hotel where she works. And young women from the reservation are disappearing. As Anna struggles to put all the pieces together, Grace goes missing, too. Now it's a race against time if Anna is going to save her sister.

My thoughts:  This novel is both a coming of age story and a mystery with hints of Native American lore and a touch of supernatural horror. The chapters alternate between the days leading up to Grace's disappearance, and the hours afterwards. It was a little confusing at first, but once I got used to the switches in time, I found the narrative to be very compelling. And I really liked Anna and sympathized with all her struggles. And I liked the Native American myths and stories she remembers and tells. But it's also a dark story at times. The plight of young Native American women who go missing or are murdered every year is a heartbreaking one, and Medina does a good job of highlighting this crisis. This novel is propulsive, suspenseful and very well-written.  

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading! 

The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

 

The plot:  When her estranged grandfather dies, Sam is surprised to learn that he left her their family's valuable lakefront property in his will. The catch: she has to stay at her family's old summer cottage for one month. The same cottage they were staying at when, as a child, she saw her father burying a dead boy's body. That was the summer that changed everything for Samantha Payne and her family. And the only reason she agrees to go back is because she desperately needs the money from the sale of the land to pay for her mother's dementia care.

But back in Paynes Hollow, the very place that supposedly inspired The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Sam is haunted by her own childhood memories of that long ago summer. Then her aunt goes missing. And Sam starts hearing phantom hoofbeats at night, and she thinks she sees the shadowy shapes of the drowned dead crawling from the lake. Is she losing her mind? Or is something more sinister going on? 

My thoughts:  Atmospheric. Suspenseful. And deliciously eerie. Armstrong has written a very fun supernatural horror story. I loved how she tied in aspects of the headless horseman with legends of the nykur. And I found Sam to be a very sympathetic character. I was rooting for her as she tried to parse the truth from the lies and figure out her own family's dark secrets. And they are dark. This is a fast-paced thriller that does not disappoint.  4.5/5 stars.

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The Snow Lies Deep by Paula Munier

 

I have a few favorite series that I religiously keep up with--reading the latest book as soon as it comes out--and Paula Munier's Mercy Carr series is one of them. I love Mercy and her Belgian Malinois, Elvis, and her husband, Vermont Game Warden Troy Warner and his Newfoundland, Suzie Bear. In this one, their daughter, Felicity, is nine months old and about to celebrate her very first Christmas. Too bad Mercy's "Uncle" Lazlo just got murdered. 

Christmas abounds in this book from yule log traditions to a ceremonial Winter Solstice bonfire (complete with Druids), a town sing-along, Christmas Eve dinner, and "more is more" decorations. The author even works in that Russian fairy tale, The Snow Maiden. There are a lot of characters to juggle, too, with Mercy's extended family and all her friends, which Munier handles well. But I felt like the mystery itself got a bit overshadowed by it all. And their murder investigation didn't feel as tautly plotted or as compelling as in her earlier novels. That's not to say I didn't enjoy this one, because I did. Mercy and Troy and their dogs are engaging characters and I like the quirks and charms of their small Vermont community. I just didn't love the mystery as much as I usually do. (Though I'd still give it 4 stars.) And if you want that Christmas-in-Vermont setting, this is the book! 

Happy Reading!

  

Other Munier books I've reviewed:

A Borrowing of Bones (#1) 

Blind Search (#2) 

The Hiding Place (#3) 

The Wedding Plot (#4) 

Home At Night (#5) 

The Night Woods (#6) 

Dying Cry by Margaret Mizushima

 

The plot:  This is the 10th novel in one of my favorite K-9 mystery series. Newlyweds Mattie and Cole Walker, and Cole's two daughters, Sophie and Angie, and their three dogs are out snowshoeing when they hear a terrified scream. Mattie, who is a deputy and K-9 handler with Timber Creek's Sheriff's Department, goes to investigate with her dog, Robo. What they discover is the body of someone they know. And he didn't die from an accidental fall; he was pushed. Once again, Mattie finds herself involved in a puzzling murder investigation. 

My thoughts: I love Mattie and Cole; they have such a supportive and respectful partnership. And Mattie's German Shepherd, Robo, is full of personality. He's one of the main reasons I love this series so much. I also like that Colorado setting. The mystery was good, too. But it's these characters and their development over the course of this series that makes these books so memorable and appealing. (And also why I recommend starting with the first book, Killing Trail.)    ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Other books in this series I've reviewed:

Stalking Ground #2

Hunting Hour #3

Burning Ridge #4

Tracking Game #5

Hanging Falls #6

Striking Range #7

Gathering Mist #9

Night Watcher by Daphne Woosoncroft

 

The plot:  Nola Strate is a late-night call-in radio host in Portland, Oregon, whose favorite babysitter was murdered by a serial killer known as the Hiding Man when she was only eight. His masked face has haunted her ever since. Now, twenty years later, a radio caller makes her suspect that the Hiding Man is back. And this time, he's coming for her. 

My thoughts:  This book is tautly plotted and very suspenseful. Nola is a relatable and sympathetic character. (Though I really didn't like her father.) Her creeping suspicion that she's being watched while not knowing by whom, along with her growing sense of unease as she senses the Hiding Man closing in on her is truly unsettling. This novel is well-written, has fast pacing, and keeps you guessing about what's really the truth and who Nola can trust. I liked that about it. It's a compelling psychological thriller.  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The Paranormal Ranger by Stanley Milford Jr.

 "As interesting as the paranormal may be, sometimes there is simply a logical explanation for the phenomena that people encounter. My job as a Navajo Ranger--even as The Paranormal Ranger--wasn't to prove that the paranormal was out there. It was simply to investigate the cases that came my way and do my best to find the truth. ... I truly did try to be like Sherlock Holmes when I investigated these cases, taking nothing for granted and doing my best to solve the puzzle. It was just as satisfying when that puzzle turned out to have a mundane cause as a paranormal one. The important thing was finding the truth."

"While, as an investigator, I would prefer to always have evidence and answers, my experiences with the paranormal have taught me to coexist with mystery when I must." 

This was my nonfiction book for the month of October, and it was an interesting one. Stanley Milford is part Cherokee, Part Irish, and half Navajo. Growing up, he spent every summer in the Navajo Nation with his father and grandparents learning the stories, traditions and beliefs of the Navajo. When he grew up, he became a Navajo Ranger, a law enforcement branch that patrols the vast, remote  regions of the Navajo Nation protecting ruin sites and archaeological artifacts, dealing with fish, game and livestock, and enforcing the laws. But his job also came to include investigating paranormal activity such as Bigfoot and UFO sightings, Skinwalkers, witch curses, and even ghostly hauntings. It was a fascinating look at his many strange encounters over the years as a Navajo Ranger. I enjoyed the way he writes and really appreciated his outlook on life. 

"For me, paranormal investigation is less about what's Out There than what's right here in front of us:  a chance to connect with and help one another and to do our very best to make our world a better, kinder place than it was the day before."

Happy Reading!