Winter's Secret

Finished March 27

Winter's Secret by Lyn Cote

This is the first book in the series Northern Intrigue, set in small town and rural Wisconsin. Someone has been breaking into homes while the owner is away, destroying things for seemingly no reason, and taking only cash, nothing traceable. Many of the victims are seniors and out of the homes temporarily for health reasons. 

One of the main characters is Wendy Carey, a home health nurse in the area. Wendy is first on the scene for one of these crimes as she is driving a patient home after a night away. Wendy lives with her younger sister, who is a senior in high school. Their mother has recently remarried and moved to Florida and both she and her new husband are recovering alcoholics. Wendy's father died when she was young, but she is close to her paternal grandfather. Due to her job, Wendy is familiar with many of the seniors who have been victims of the crimes in question. 

The new sheriff, the other main character, is Rodd Durant. Rodd lived part of his childhood in the area, but grew up elsewhere. He came back after inheriting his uncle's ranch. He is growing increasingly frustrated by the ongoing crimes as there is call from some locals questioning his abilities as the crimes continue. He asks for Wendy's help, learning about who might be potential targets. 

Wendy has also been a victim of the town gossips, mostly around her mother's past. She tries to not let it bother her, but it does. As the two spend time together, feelings develop and Wendy worries about drawing Rodd into the negative gossip. 

Wendy and her family are strong churchgoers, and close to the local minister and his family, often babysitting their very active young son when needed. We see into some of their family life, and the minister's family as well. 

This novel definitely shows both the good and bad of being part of a small community, and the realities of aging. An enjoyable read.

Ghost of a Chance

Finished October 15

Ghost of a Chance by Cate Dean

This is the first novel in a series featuring antique and collectable shop owner Maggie Mulgrew. As a child, Maggie came often to visit the small town of Holmestead, England to stay with her Aunt Irene who had an antique shop. The two bonded and became very close. When Irene died, Maggie found that she'd inherited everything from Irene's house to her shop with the flat above it. She was able to leave the U.S. and her overbearing parents and create the life she wanted, which wasn't that different from Irene's. 

Now, Maggie finds some of her stock at estate sales and auctions, and near the start of the book she attends a nearby sale and finds a few things, including a dirty, but interesting-looking box. She leaves Spencer, her best friend and employee in charge of the shop while she is away. 

Meanwhile, at Oxford, professor of archaeology Pembroke Martin has discovered that his student assistant Ken has sold the rare apothecary jar that Martin had recently acquired after a years-long search. The jar is special as a piece, but Martin wanted this particular jar because of a ghost story associated with it. Digging out the details from Ken, Martin tries to get to the auction before the jar is sold, but is too late. 

Maggie has done well at the auction, and has seen a couple of other local collectors, another dealer and the curator of a local museum. She also met Edward Carlisle, a seemingly wealthy man who made no secret of his interest in the jar, but was unsuccessful in obtaining it. 

As Martin's search leads him to Maggie, she agrees to help, but the two discover the new owner dead, and Martin is now a suspect. 

Maggie finds herself drawn to Martin, a man she has already respected and admired from his reputation and television appearances. But Martin has ties to several other people involved in the case, and she isn't entirely sure whether she should trust him.

I enjoyed the amateur investigation Maggie takes on, trying to not only find the murderer, but also to clear Martin so that she can pursue the friendly feelings she has towards him. 

She's smart, and observant, but also impulsive, and this seems like a promising start to the series. 

Tried and True

Finished January 19

Tried and True by Mary Connealy

Set just after the American Civil War, this is the first in a series of novels about three sisters, Bailey, Shannon, and Kylie shortly after they begin their land claims in Idaho Territory. Pressured by their father into disguising themselves as young men and joining the Union army after their only brother dies in service, the women have used their service as a way of decreasing the time they must stay on the land to finalize their claim. Kylie is the youngest, and the least adept at the skills needed to manage a farm. Her sisters helped build her cabin in the fall, and now that it is spring the story starts with her attempting to repair a loose shingle in her roof. 

She was troubled by her war experience, but after her first battle was able to avoid worse trauma by working as a general's aide and as a spy. Her commanders were unaware that her success as a spy was due to her gender as she removed her disguise when engaging in espionage activity. 

When the local land agent, Aaron Masterson comes by just as Kylie is descending from the roof, he discovers her secret and insists that he must change her claim to eliminate the service record, even though she served as women weren't allowed to enlist. 

He finds himself drawn to her, and finds himself visiting her again soon after when a local rancher threatens her land. When another threat appears soon after, Aaron worries about her safety alone at her cabin and works with her siblings to find a solution. 

This novel is an historical western romance, with a touch of mystery. Kylie is less helpless than she first appears, as she has depended on her sisters more than she could have. But she is also a reluctant land claim candidate and plans to sell as soon as she owns the land outright. 

I found Kylie growing on me, but enjoyed her sisters more. There are other interesting characters as well, including a motherly and capable native woman. Aaron's history played a role in the plot and was an interesting commentary on the aftermath of the Civil War. 

Take the Honey and Run

Finished August 6

Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts

This novel is set in small town Colorado, and begins with mystery author Bailey Briggs returning to the town she grew up in to visit her grandmother, Blossom Briggs (also known as Granny Bee). Bailey was raised by her grandmother and has visited her regularly since she left years before, but this time it has been a couple years since the last visit. Bailey's daughter, twelve-year-old Daisy and their dog Cooper are with her as they run into minor trouble just minutes away from the family farm. She finds herself rescued by a man she hasn't seen in years, Sawyer Dunn. 

Granny Bee raises cattle and keeps bees, and has a small store to see the products she makes from her bees. She's had a bad fall, and wants Bailey for support and comfort. As Bailey arrives, she witnesses the dramatic exit of a local man around the same age as her grandmother, Werner Humble, and finds the rest of the local book group waiting inside at the tea table. This group includes Blossom's sisters, Aster and Marigold, the local librarian Dorothy, and Bailey's best friend's mother Rosa. Evie, her best friend, soon arrives on scene to welcome her. 

When Bailey stops in at Werner's the following day to return the jacket he left behind, she discovers him dead, and with many witnesses to Blossom's threat to him the previous day, her grandmother is on the list of suspects. 

Bailey figures her mystery writing experience gives her some expertise in investigation, and she decides to try to find the real killer to clear her grandmother. The sheriff isn't enthusiastic about her doing this, however, and tries to discourage her. But she has the support of her grandmother's friends, her own best friend, and her daughter. Both the official investigation and Bailey's unearth many more possible suspects as well as the victim's less savory habits. 

This is a cozy mystery that looks to be the first in a new series, from the "A Bee Keeping Mystery" on the cover to several plot elements that hint at more information to be unveiled later. Like many cozy mysteries, it also includes a few recipes at the back of the book, many that have honey as an ingredient. 

Nurse's Date with a Billionaire

Finished August 31

Nurse's Date with a Billionaire by Amelia Addler

This is the first book in the Billionaire Date series, a romance series with no sex, a subgenre known as 'clean romance'.This story is set mostly in Madison, Wisconsin. Kali is a nurse who has just transferred to the ICU. Her first patient in a nonresponsive man found on the street with no ID. As the book begins, he has woken up and tried to walk away, and she catches him out of his room. Once he is evaluated and moved to a regular ward, he tells the doctors he remembers who he is and gets told he will be released, but leaves before being officially released. 

He still hasn't recovered his memory however and finds himself on the streets of town looking for food and shelter. He finds a soup kitchen, and coincidentally Kali is delivering leftover food from the hospital to it when she sees him and stops to say hi. She ends up taking him back to her place as she has a separate small apartment space in her basement she hasn't yet rented out. 

As he gradually begins to remember his life, with Kali's help, he returns to his life in England, where his family is extremely wealthy and owns a hotel chain. He is also engaged to a wealthy young woman there. 

There is some drama around Kali's work, with a supervisor who is a bully, and some odd rules around fraternization with patients. We also see both characters' strong family connections and how their past has impacted their lives. 

I read this to meet a reading challenge as a quick read, and found it a light and quick read in a genre I am not that familiar with.