Mysterious Inhertiance

After struggling to survive for a few years, Hal receives a letter informing her of an inheritance. It seems she has a family that her mother never mentioned. She has been named an heir to Mrs. Westaways’s estate. Hal could really use the money. But is she really related to these people? She wants to believe it, but then she realizes that it could all be a misunderstanding. She travels from London to meet with the other heirs. She begins to uncover many sinister secrets and a past that leaves her wondering who she really is. The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware is the story of deep, dark family secrets. DB

Murder in Japan

Newcomer, a mystery by Japanese writer by Keigo Higashino, features Det. Kyochiro Kaga of the Tokyo Police Department. His style is deceptively laid back, so people underestimate him, but he does some intricate and surprising investigating and of course, solves the case! The author is hugely popular in Japan, and also wrote The Devotion of Suspect X, the English translation of which was nominated for the 2012 Edgar Award for Best Novel and the 2012 Barry Award for Best First Novel.

Surrender to the Highlander

Lynsay Sands' historical and paranormal romance series are a great mix of humor and hot romance. Surrender to the Highlander is the fifth book in Lynsay Sands' Scottish Highlander Series, but each book is a standalone and you do not need to read the previous before picking up this one. Surrender to the Highlander is Neil Buchanan and Edith's story. Neil is one of Siadh's many brothers and Edith is one of her close friends. Their story had a mystery, some humor and some steamy romance. I highly recommend this series for historical romance lovers looking for hot Scottish romances. They're addicting! *JK*

A Momentary Marriage

A Momentary Marriage by Candace Camp is entertaining and a lovely romance. I liked both James and Laura as they came together. As the mystery of someone trying to kill them unfolded, so did their discovery of each other and their subsequent growing attraction and appreciation. I liked that both were flawed, feisty, and layered. And though the secondary characters were a bit more flat and only moved in and out of the story to move it along, it did not dim my enjoyment too much and in the end I was satisfied with the reading experience. *JK*

It's cold in Shetland!

The Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland are where the mysteries of Ann Cleeves take place. Dark and moody with a great sense of place, they feature Jimmy Perez as Detective Inspector and a native of the Shetlands. Cold Earth, the seventh in the series, opens during the graveside service of his friend Magnus, Insp. Jimmy Perez  watches as a heavy storm initiates a mudslide that damages part of the cemetery, the main road, and an empty rental cottage. Jimmy checks out the cottage and discovers the body of a woman wearing a red silk dress. He's determined to uncover her identity and solve her murder. The potential for the professional relationship between Jimmy and fellow detective -Willow Reeves to become more personal will intrigue series regulars. Plenty of suspects on a remote Scottish island mixed with the high quality of Cleeves's prose make this a solidly plotted whodunit for procedural and traditional mystery readers.ML

Food and Murder!

Tannie Marie is a middle-aged widow who likes to cook. She writes a food column for the local paper until they decide to switch her to an advice column. Tannie Marie feels like good food is the answer to everything, so she gives people recipes along with advice. When a woman who has written to her is murdered, she becomes entwined in the investigation along with a handsome detective.  Sally Andrew's book Recipes For Love and Murder takes place in rural South Africa, so the story is full of local color and recipes. Tannie Marie is sweet and determined, a character to love! ML

Murder in NYC

Manhattan Mayhem is a collection of mysteries set in various parts of New York City. A few of the twelve contributing authors include Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver and Mary Higgins Clark. The stories vary greatly. They take place in different eras and many well-known neighborhoods throughout the Big Apple. This volume celebrates the 70^th Anniversary of the founding of the Mystery Writers of America. Put your sleuthing skills to the test trying to solve these baffling cases! DB    

Mystery in Maine

Faith Fairchild, caterer and amateur sleuth is vacationing in Maine with her family. While her cottage is being remodeled, they are staying with friends at The Pines. She is hoping for an easy enjoyable rest, but next door at The Birches things have become interesting. It seems that the whole family has come in for the 4^th of July holiday to stake their claim at inheriting the family summer property. Owner of The Birches, Paul McAllister is supposed to decide who will get the property after dealing with relatives for about a month. Contenders include Sophie Maxwell, her mother Babs, her uncle Simon and his snooty family, and her Aunt Sylvia a free spirit from California and her three children. While everyone tries to charm Uncle Paul into believing they should get The Birches, the beloved housekeeper Bev passes away. Then a second person turns up dead! Faith finds both bodies, so she quickly becomes involved in these suspicious events. Pick up The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall Page if you like mild mysteries. DB