Alaska

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Thoughts on Books (#20): FISHING FOR TROUBLE • THE NESTING • GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL

Fishing for Trouble (Alaskan Diner Mystery #2)
Fishing for Trouble by Elizabeth Logan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

FISHING FOR TROUBLE is the second installment in the Alaskan Diner Mystery series. Chef Charlie Cooke has recently returned to her hometown of Elkview, Alaska, to take over the family business, the Bear Claw Diner. When a young man working at a nearby fish processing plant keels over in her restaurant, Charlie is horrified — both for the victim and her diner’s reputation. Charlie is a kind soul, and wants to help the man’s grieving friend, so she ends up neck-deep in the investigation.

This was a solid mystery that blends in life in small-town Alaska, this time during the summer months with sunshine 20 hours a day. I liked the inclusion of the state’s fishing industry. I didn’t realize billions (wow!) of pounds of fish were processed through Alaskan fisheries, which draws young people looking for summer jobs. Charlie is a great character, and this time around she has to deal with a dreadful person from her past in addition to solving a murder. Recipes from the Bear Claw Diner are included.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

The Nesting
The Nesting by C.J. Cooke
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

THE NESTING is a Gothic mystery with Nordic folklore woven into the story, which sounds like something I’d love, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. The main character Lexi ends up as a nanny in Norway under false pretenses, with the false pretenses part being a weak plotline.

Was there a solid plot? Was this horror or mystery? I’m not sure about either question. The mother of the two girls Lexi is caring for died by suicide just months earlier. The father is building a home on a cliff in her honor. Weird occurrences start happening in the house, and Lexi finds the deceased woman’s secret diary. What really happened to her?

There’s also an environmental impact element to what’s happening on the cliff, which I actually enjoyed, it’s just the rest didn’t make much sense. For me THE NESTING was drawn out and lacked real focus.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

Goodnight Beautiful
Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL is an amazing psychological thriller/domestic suspense that pulled the rug out from under me more than once. Wow! The shocking twists really challenge your assumptions and make you think. This was a super-fast read because I was quickly flipping the pages to see what would be revealed next. I’m very happy with this impulse buy for my Kindle. I just quickly glanced at the blurb — knowing very little about the plot is the best way to enjoy this book. Highly recommended!

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MOUSSE AND MURDER by Elizabeth Logan


Series: Alaskan Diner Mystery, #1
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Source: Review copy from NetGalley
Rating: ★★★★

A young chef might bite off more than she can chew when she returns to her Alaskan hometown to take over her parents’ diner in this charming first installment in a new cozy mystery series set in an Alaskan tourist town.

When Chef Charlie Cooke is offered the chance to leave San Francisco and return home to Elkview, Alaska, to take over her mother’s diner, she doesn’t even consider saying no. After all – her love life has recently become a Love Life Crumble, and a chance to reconnect with her roots may be just what she needs.

Determined to bring fresh life and flavors to the Bear Claw Diner, Charlie starts planning changes to the menu, which has grown stale over the years. But her plans are fried when her head cook Oliver turns up dead after a bitter and public fight over Charlie’s ideas – leaving Charlie as the only suspect in the case.

With her career, freedom, and life all on thin ice, Charlie must find out who the real killer is, before it’s too late.

MOUSSE AND MURDER is an enjoyable start to a new cozy mystery series set in Elkview, Alaska. Charlie Cooke runs the Bear Claw Diner in this tiny tourist town. After a spat between Charlie and her chef Oliver, Oliver is found murdered on the outskirts of town. That doesn’t bode well for Charlie, so she and her friends offer to help with the investigation.

I was intrigued by the unique Alaskan setting, and the author did a fantastic job describing life in and around Elkview. I felt like I was there! The mystery itself was interesting and well-plotted. Several possible suspects came to light as Charlie and friends learned more about Oliver’s secret past.

I loved Charlie, Elkview, and its residents, and I’m looking forward to continuing with this series.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Quick Thoughts: HOW QUICKLY SHE DISAPPEARS by Raymond Fleischmann


Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 14, 2020
Source: Penguin’s First to Read Program
Rating: ★★★★½

The Dry meets The Silence of the Lambs in this intoxicating tale of literary suspense, set in the relentless Alaskan landscape, about madness and obsession, loneliness and grief, and the ferocious bonds of family…

My proposition is very simple: I am going to ask you for three gifts, and for each gift you deliver, I will take you one step closer to Jacqueline.

It’s been twenty years since Elisabeth’s twin sister, Jacqueline, disappeared without a trace. Now thirty-year-old Elisabeth is living far from home in a small Alaskan town. She’s in a loveless marriage and has a precocious young daughter she loves more than anything but who reminds her too much of her long-missing sister.

But then Alfred, a dangerous stranger with a plan of his own, arrives in town and commits an inexplicable act of violence. And he offers a startling revelation: He knows exactly what happened to Elisabeth’s sister, but he’ll reveal this truth only if she fulfills his three requests.

Increasingly isolated from her neighbors and imprisoned by the bitter cold and her own obsession, Elisabeth can almost hear her sister’s voice saying, Come and find me. And so she will, even if it means putting herself—and her family—in danger.

This was my final selection from Penguin’s First to Read program. Unfortunately it is shutting down today! I’ve greatly enjoyed being a part of the program for the past few years. I’ve found many favorites through them, including this book, HOW QUICKLY SHE DISAPPEARS.

A historical suspense novel set in Alaska in the 1940s was too tempting to pass up, and I got pulled into the story right away. A tiny, isolated town in the Alaskan Interior was the perfect setting for this eerie story. I was very intrigued by Elisabeth’s quest to find her missing sister, gone for 20 years, and the lengths she’d go to get answers. Alfred was a truly creepy character, and I was flipping the pages to find out what he knew! The author did a great job building up tension, and I was pleased with the conclusion. Haunting, riveting, and enjoyable!

Disclosure: A free copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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SNIPER’S PRIDE by Megan Crane {Review}


Series: Alaska Force, #2
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 7, 2019
Source: Penguin’s First to Read Program
Rating: ★★★½

Return to Alaska’s Grizzly Harbor where danger strikes with arctic precision and love thaws the coldest hearts in the newest romantic suspense from the USA Today bestselling author of SEAL’s Honor.

After Mariah McKenna lands in the hospital with a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction she knows she didn’t cause, she realizes her cheating, vindictive husband would rather have a dead wife than a divorce. Afraid that he will succeed in killing her next time, Mariah goes to Grizzly Harbor to hire one of the Alaska Force special operatives to help her survive long enough to finally live a little.

Griffin Cisneros traded in a comfortable future for boot camp, where he learned the virtue of patience and focus—skills that served him well as a Marine sniper. Few things get to him these days, but something about Mariah’s mix of toughness and vulnerability gets right under his skin. Until it’s clear she’s the one thing in the world that might melt the ice in stoic, reserved Griffin, whether he likes it or not.

If he can just keep her alive…

SNIPER’S PRIDE is the second installment in the Alaska Force series, based around a group of former military men who are now special operatives helping people in need. I love books (especially romances) that are set in Alaska, so I knew I had to grab this one.

Mariah is going through a very bitter divorce, and after a couple of attempts on her life, she heads to Grizzly Harbor, Alaska, and hires Alaska Force for protection and to figure out who’s out to get her. Mariah was a tough, courageous woman doing what it took to survive. She’s specifically assigned to Griffin, a former Marine sniper who sees himself more of a machine than man, hurt in the past and hardened by his military career.

I particularly enjoyed the mystery/suspense side of this book. Mariah’s predicament was so scary, and there were plenty of exciting and nail-biting moments. On the other hand, the romance between Mariah and Griffin was so-so. It took a long time to feel any chemistry between them, and Griffin’s stubborn dislike of her and thinking he’s not capable of a relationship with anyone was trying.

Overall, I liked my introduction to Alaska Force, and I was rooting for Mariah the whole way. I would love to take a peek at the rugged, chilly island that Grizzly Harbor sits on, somewhere on Alaska’s southern coast. Next up is SERGEANT’S CHRISTMAS SIEGE set to release in the fall, and I will definitely be picking that one up!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book through Penguin’s First to Read Program in exchange for an honest review.

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Thoughts on Books (#16): Northern Encounter / Edgar Allan Poe: The Complete Short Stories / A Discovery of Witches

Northern Encounter
Northern Encounter by Jennifer LaBrecque
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I needed an uplifting change of pace from my usual dark suspense/thriller reads, and NORTHERN ENCOUNTER fit the bill perfectly. A romance set in Alaska is the perfect escape. I’ll probably never get there, so reading about it is the next best thing.

Clint is a Native Alaskan and wilderness guide who’s hired by Tessa, a videographer from Arizona. She’s come to the town of Good Riddance to film the magnificent landscape for her latest project. They feel an attraction to each other, though both have reasons for not wanting a relationship. The characters were strong, and their conflicts were realistic. Of course, I absolutely loved the small town Alaska setting. The secondary characters were likable and interesting too. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

The Complete Short Stories
The Complete Short Stories by Edgar Allan Poe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A motley collection of short stories from Poe (the complete collection!) – horror, suspense, comedy, detective, general life observations, even science fiction. At times the stories are too wordy, but Poe always entertains with his grand imagination. I greatly enjoyed Bob Thomley’s narration of the audiobook. ♥

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy, #1)
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I’m finishing up this chunkster book today. I liked it, though maybe not as much as I thought I would. The world building was quite interesting, and I was impressed with the scientific and historical research. I’m very curious about the magical book Diana found, and why the various creatures want it.

On the flip side, the many descriptions of things — rowing, horseback riding, food, wine, hunting, etc — slowed the pace down. I liked witchy Diana, but never warmed up to Matthew. Does he get more likable in future books??

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES has been sitting on my TBR shelf for 8 years (!!!), so I’m glad I finally read it. Will definitely continue the series at some point.

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