Cozy Mystery
I rarely read cozies these days, except for a few like Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mysteries. This latest is the 28th in the popular series. popular because of tea shop owner and amateur sleuth, Theodosia Browning, and the setting in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as the recipes and tea time tips included in the books.
Peach Tree Smash will be published August 6, 2024 by Berkley. I just got the eARC and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Description: Murder at an Alice in Wonderland–themed event threatens to send Theodosia Browning through the looking glass. During the Mad Hatter Masquerade, a fundraiser hosted by the Friends of the Opera, Harlan Sadler, husband of Cricket Sadler, the chairwoman, is murdered. Theodosia and her gang are resolved to find the culprit.
Another book I'm looking forward to:
My visit to Toronto sped by like a long weekend instead of the seven days I was there. Having family company and good food was a great way to spend the start of spring.
This novel, Long Weekend by S.M. Thomas (April 16, 2024) will be quite different for the people in the weekend thriller. Set on a luxurious island resort with famous guests, journalist Emma's anticipated fun trip turns instead into a nightmare!
Just finished
The Blue Bar by Damyanti Biswas (January 1, 2023) was one of the books available to download for free through World Book Day 2024, a yearly program that promotes reading worldwide. The date is always April 23 in the U.S.
The Blue Bar is a noir thriller set in Mumbai, India, and is a police procedural that involves corruption on many levels - in the police, among well known businessmen, underground mafia, and the social elite and their families. There is an unnamed deranged man or "boy" as he is called by his assistant, who has been kidnapping and killing bar girls over the years but who is "protected" from discovery by many of the influential people.
Police inspector Arnav Singh Rajput tries to save a former bar dancer, his lover, from landing in the hands of this serial killer and risks his life to find the man's identity. The suspense of the novel lies in the many likely and unlikely suspects that Arnav must sort through find the "boy."
I gave this intriguing thriller 4 stars. There were a few inconsistencies, though minor ones. Though it was a good read for adult lovers of mysteries, I was surprised it was included in the World Book Day selection because of the noir quality of the book, the vivid descriptions of violence, physical and psychological.
What I'm Watching
I'm still watching tv more than reading. I finished the 16 episode kdrama series, Queen of Tears, a family drama and romance which was ultra popular in Korea as well, a big plus for Netflix. The same main male actor was also in another drama I liked, It's Okay to Not Be Okay. He's the top wage earner today in Korean drama, and it's easy to see why.
What are you reading/watching this week?
Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated Bookreviewer. Also, It's Monday: What Are You Reading, and Sunday Salon, Stacking the Shelves, Mailbox Monday
I have become quite fond of so many mysteries and thrillers set in India. I'll look for The Blue Bar and hope I've found a new author.
ReplyDeleteYour holiday *flew* by! Hope you had lots of fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm presently reading 'Peter Pan' by J M Barrie. Up next is 'L. A. Noir - The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City' by John Buntin.
I’m intrigued by LA. Your book sounds like a good idea
DeleteI'm a BIG fan of Noir fiction and of cities, so I'm looking forward to it. Review in about 4-5 weeks.
DeletePeach Tree Smash sounds like a fun mystery. And I love that title! :D
ReplyDeletePeach Tree Smash sounds like a good book. I will have to investigate the series!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
My post:
https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2024/05/04/stacking-the-shelves-67/
I like the cozy and classic crime in between the more hard core stuff!
ReplyDeleteI read the first few Tea Shop Mysteries and then got distracted. I still have a few more I haven't read around here. Hope you enjoy the new one.
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed a string of murder mysteries set in India - but like you, I'm a bit surprised that a book quite so gritty is included in being handed out for Book Day. I need to track down the Tea Shop Mysteries as they sound like my sort of read - have a great week.
ReplyDeleteThe cover of Long Weekend reached out to me!
ReplyDeleteMary @Bookfan
I didn't know there were free books for download an World Book Day. I'll have to check that out next year. The Blue Bar sounds like a good read although a bit too noir for my usual taste.
ReplyDeleteYou can download one of their books around World Book Day.
DeleteLove the cover and sound of Peach Tree Smash! Hope you enjoy all your mysteries and kdramas!
ReplyDeleteWhat neat books. Cozies are some of my favorites, but I haven't read that author before. Hope you enjoy your books.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2024/05/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and.html
I didn't get to download any book for World Book Day. I don't know why I missed it but I did!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week.
Your books do sound good. I find myself reading quite a few cozies these days to lighten up all the thrillers I read. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a nice holiday, Harvee. They often seem to go by too fast, especially when you are having a good time. Long Weekend doesn't sound like a fun vacation (for us, anyway), but it does sound like a great book! I hope you enjoy it. I think I have heard of The Blue Bar, but I haven't read it. I am glad you liked it. I hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI just finished watching the miniseries: Baby Reindeer. I can't get it out of my head.
ReplyDeleteAn Alice in Wonderland–themed event? That sounds delightful. I hope you enjoy Peach Tea Smash as much as you are hoping.
ReplyDeleteI missed World Book Day this year. Publishers used to send multiple copies of books so that they could be distributed to those who don't read a lot.
The Blue Bar sounds especially good. I have been intrigued by procedurals and noir fiction set in India since watching a couple of television series of that type. Watching the police work a series of violent crimes in that series was an eye-opener to the challenges the police face there sometimes.
ReplyDeleteThe Long Weekend sounds really good--love the premise. I will have to check this one out! Your trip to Toronto sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI agree that spending time with friends and family is a great way to start spring. We were at the other end of the country visiting with our children, grandchildren, and friends in Vancouver, BC. We were happy with the rain since here in the Okanagan we are experiencing a drought, and it's already very dry normally. I really like the idea of The Blue Bar, but it sounds too scary for me. I'm currently taking my sweet time reading Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop - a book I probably got turned onto by you. I am loving it.
ReplyDelete