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2023: A year of reading, writing, and growth
…and that’s it, I suppose, for 2023! It’s the last day of the year and, looking back, I can’t help but be amazed at how far I’ve come. This time last year, I was very much just starting out. I was rushing to write blog posts, find challenges to give myself some structure, and figure…
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From mystery to epistolary: my best reads in 2023
As we enter the final days of 2023, it’s time to recount my favorite books (and reviews) of the year. I’ve found that (in large part due to my challenges) my reading has been split into 3 major categories: little-old-lady cozies, adventurous epistolaries, and modern updates to traditional mysteries. The following list are my personal…
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Advent of Mystery 2023: Some wrapping up
Merry Christmas, my reading friends! Thank you for following along on this seasonal murder mystery ride. I hope you’ve had as much fun as I have – it’s great to be able to read and share thoughts on books with so many lovely people. I’ve got a couple of thoughts on how to wrap this…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 12: The Christmas Appeal
It’s Christmas Eve and we’ve got a real treat for today. Long-time readers will know I am an avid fan of Janice Hallett and have been since she first wrote The Appeal. So when I heard about The Christmas Appeal, a holiday spin-off of that novel, I knew I had to read it. The Christmas…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 11: The Last Devil to Die
I will admit outright that I am stretching to the limit the definition of a Christmas story. Technically, Richard Osman’s latest in the Thursday Murder Club series takes place immediately after Christmas, spanning dead week and beyond. But I love The Last Devil to Die, and I think it perfectly encapsulates what I want from…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 10: The Twelve Days of Murder
We’re nearing the home stretch, and that takes us towards some of the more unique Christmas stories I’ve read this year. Today we’ll be discussing The Twelve Days of Murder by Andreina Cordani. This mystery / thriller has serious Dark Academia vibes, telling the story of a college murder mystery club that fell apart when…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 9: Murder at Maybridge Castle
Last up in Ada Moncrieff’s Christmas Mysteries is Murder at Maybridge Castle*. We’re sticking with Daphne as our protagonist – but this time, she’s supporting her family member, Charles, as he soft-opens a new hotel at the titular Maybridge Castle. Plus, local legends (and Charles) say the hotel is haunted! It all adds up to…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 8: Murder at the Theatre Royale
We’re continuing the Ada Moncrieff read-through with the nect of her Christmas mysteries, Murder at the Theatre Royale. We’ve moved on from Hugh to a new protagonist (and a surprisingly popular type). Daphne is an agony aunt for a London newspaper who longs for a “real” beat. She talks her way into covering a new…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 7: Murder Most Festive
We are moving away from the dark and shocking side of holiday crime into lighter fare. We’ll start with three days of Ada Moncrieff, a modern writer with a taste for the historical. The first in her holiday mysteries is Murder Most Festive, an homage to the classic Manor House Mystery genre. Murder Most Festive…
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Advent of Mystery, Day 6: Murder on the Christmas Express
On to our final day of Alexandra Benedict’s Christmas mysteries. Murder on the Christmas Express has a classic setup with a holiday twist: murder on a stuck train, nowhere to go, and it’s Christmas Eve. By now we know a little bit of what to expect: a lonely – and clever – protagonist, reluctant to…