Heir of Uncertain Magic by Charlie Holmberg

 

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms was a recent favorite read, with a fun and creative setting that stuck in my mind for a long time. What a treat to return again to Holmberg's reimagined Rhode Island of the mid 1800s, where boats and other vehicles are powered by magic. The soul of a young boy that was trapped in the walls of Whimbrel House in the first book is now in a dog and makes for some amusing antics, while also tying the household together emotionally. What started as a supposedly haunted house is now a home for an unconventional family that is still learning about themselves and where they fit in the world.  While many authors do a fine job of world-building, Holmberg always injects hers with a little something extra, which in this case I can only think of as being 'homey charm.' Thanks to Netgalley and 47North for this engaging ARC.

The Couple at No 9 by Claire Douglas

 

This has been out for a while but I just got around to reading it. Another good one from Claire Douglas. I appreciate getting it from Netgalley before it was archived. It's twisty and has multiple narrators who may or may not be reliable. There were a few too many characters who tripped me up a couple of times  but overall it was a solid suspense story that held my interest. Also I learned a new British phrase, "memory care homes." In the US we just call these nursing homes or assisted living, but memory care home sounds more compassionate, at least to me.

Malice House by Megan Shepherd

I guess I forgot to review this, but better late than never. Megan Shepherd got all the things right in this book that I wanted but didn't get from Madman's Daughter. I was pulled into the story quickly and connected with the characters and world-building. This is the way to do gothic horror in a contemporary setting without being silly or overly gory. There is some gore, but it's not Mexican Gothic level gore. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. [4 Stars]

The Writing Retreat by Julia Bartz

First of all, I'm astounded that this is the author's first novel. Second, I'm rarely a fan of the story-within-a-story concept, but it is handled incredibly well by Bartz. As the women embark on their individual writing and one-on-one sessions with their host and mentor Roza, an acclaimed horror novelist, you start to sense a gathering claustrophobic atmosphere that eventually takes root and doesn't let anyone go until the end. Will they all complete their novels in a month? Will they all survive the month? I was glued to my seat and didn't want to put this one down! Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for providing another awesome ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman

Wow! This was an absolute roller coaster of craziness and I enjoyed it. Thanks to the publisher kindly granting my wish for this book I had it in my TBR pile for months before it was published, but am glad I finally read it this month since it takes place between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Harriet is a novelist who is pregnant and marrying into a wealthy family with a lot of secrets, one of which may or may not include the fact that one of them has killed several women. It sounds bad, but Harriet has her own horrible secret that's she's been keeping for decades, so she's not quite sure how awful these folks really are in comparison to her. The snotty rich people like to play family games, hence the title, that include a bizarre Krampus-themed tradition that scares the crap out of their kids and Harriet. But Krampusnacht shenanigans are nothing compared with their Christmas game, and that's where all hell breaks loose. I've read previous books by Steadman and this one was fast-paced like those, which I like, but it also had a few too many family members who didn't add much to the story. Overall, highly recommended as a fun, Christmas-y thriller. Thanks to Netgalley, and especially the publisher, who saw my wish for this book and granted it. Published October 18, 2022.

The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

 

This book is probably best enjoyed by ardent Lisa Jewell fans, of which I am one. I say that not only because you have to read The Family Upstairs to understand the family dynamics that carry over into Family Remains, but also because nothing happens for the first half of this book. It plods along, reacquainting us with the dysfunctional surviving family from Cheyne Walk and introducing Sam, the police detective who is trying to solve the puzzle of what happened there 25 years ago. There's also a parallel storyline about Michael, the father of Lucy's son Marco, that occurs in flashbacks. It all comes together at the end in a satisfying way, but it takes time and patience on behalf of the reader to get there. Not my favorite among Jewell's books.

The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth

 

Wow, wow, wow!! I don't give many 5-star reviews, but here it is. This is not the first time Sally Hepworth has hooked me with a fantastic plot. I honestly couldn't put this down. The setting, characters, just all of it is fabulous and adds up to the perfect cozy thriller read. Loved this one!