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Review

Murder Returns to Gravigna

by Dodie Ownes

Nico Doyle, an American ex-homicide detective, is once again coerced into working with Gravigna’s local police in the final installment of Trinchieri’s “A Tuscan Mystery” series. Maresciallo Perillo, the town’s highest ranking police officer, is weary of his work and gladly accepts Nico’s assistance in determining who murdered Gravigna’s butcher, Sergio Macchi. Amid the beautiful scenery of the Chianti region, bad feelings and secrets lurk and soon the townspeople are suspicious of everyone. As readers meet the shopkeepers and restaurateurs and spend time with OneWag, Nico’s adorable dog, a picture begins to form of a town and its people in transition. There’s even a developer interested in building a high-end hotel complex, much to the chagrin of the locals. After the owner of the enoteca dies by apparent suicide, the search for the murderer picks up speed—what good is a Tuscan town without meat and wine?! Trinchieri brings this deliciously plotted (yes, there is much good eating and a recipe included) mystery imbued with the everyday loves and lives of the locals to a satisfying conclusion. Fans of contemporary mysteries who are craving a trip to the Tuscan countryside without the airfare will find much to relish in this series conclusion.—Dodie Ownes

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Review

Hidden Currents

by Henrietta Thornton

Sheriff’s deputy Sam Karnes just wants to get married to the love of his life, Brenna. His first attempt at writing vows, “Respondent states he loves her and would be willing to proceed with a lifelong commitment,” is perhaps not quite right. Worse again is his meddling mother-in-law. He’s gotten great advice from his boss, the star of this absorbing police procedural, Sheriff Hank Worth, who says to just stay out of most of the wedding arrangements. But Hank can’t stay out of messy politics himself, as in this sixth outing in the series, he’s leading the investigation into a shocking murder in his small Ozarks town of Branson, Missouri. The owner of a local fishing store has been found dead. He was relatively new to town, having bought the store from its long-time owner and moved here with his wife, who he was in the process of divorcing, and her troubled son. In the background of that investigation, Hank’s second-in-command, Sheila, is under the microscope as she testifies against attackers in a case that has politics written all over it. Booth has again brought the Ozarks and police life to the page in a way that will keep readers rapt and leave them waiting for more from these steadfast characters. New readers will find Hank especially endearing and will want to go back to the previous books for more.—Henrietta Thornton

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Review

The Dying Light

by Brian Kenney

Book of the Week July 30, 2026

As with all of Cleeve’s novels, this one centers on a violent act that summons a whole community, from the police to a rising politician and from a small group of teens to the media eager to expose the familes. At the center of the novel is DI Matthew Venn, whose gentle demeanor and persistent inquiry move the storyline ahead, peeling the novel like the proverbial onion. The tale takes place in the UK in the midst of a scorching summer, when Venn has been called in to investigate the death of a young woman found floating face-up in a pool. But it’s not just any pool—the luxurious location is owned by the girl’s friend, Hannah, who is also missing. Social media, secrets, and unrest all go far to crack this mystery, exposing what is left unsaid. A sophisticated, fast-moving novel that many readers will relish.—Brian Kenney

 

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Review

The Heights

by Henrietta Thornton

Ian Rankin likes to explore the gray areas in life. This time the ambiguities surround a murder at the Heights, a London more-money-than-taste highrise that houses HNWs and UHNW individuals—those are high net worth and ultra-high net worth to those of us in the LNW and ULNW zones. In this standalone thriller, DS Gillian Gish and colleagues are pitted against organized criminals and the walls that wealth can create in investigating the death of one of the highrise’s concierges, quickly finding a morass of complications. And then there are those moral gray areas—how far can Gish push when she just knows something is wrong, but has no real evidence? Is a police career worth it when Gish’s mother is not-so-slowly declining? Does wealth necessarily mean guilt? Fans of detailed police procedurals will be right at home here, with the London police’s steady and then all-at-once habits on full display. Those who enjoy a no-nonsense lead with heart to spare will fall immediately in step with Gish, too. Rankin’s Inspector Rebus novels wait in the wings for those who need more after this.—Henrietta Thornton

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Review

The Body in the Bath

by Brian Kenney

Welcome to some powerful Nordic noir that is partly a novel of suspense, with the shadow of Agatha Christie, and partly terrifying in its own right. At its center is detective Helgi Raykdal. As Christmas season approaches, Bergþóra, Helgi’s ex-girlfriend, fatally runs over the detective’s new girlfriend, Anita. A violent alcoholic, Bergþóra totally destroys the car and the future Helgi hoped to build with Anita. After a month’s absence, Helgi returns to work in Reykjavik brimming with anger. As someone who was physically abused by Helgi, who insists that Aníta’s death was an accident, Bergþóra somehow manages to walk free. To escape his sorrow, Helgi becomes involved in trying to resolve the disappearance of his predecessor, Hulda, a retired officer long presumed dead. But as the lines begin to blur, the shifts between the past and present merge. Will Helgi’s colleagues accept him back?—Brian Kenney

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Review

Dungeons and Danger

by Danise Hoover

Hotelier and herbalist Nora Althorp lives and works in Ravensea, the family castle, outside of York. It has been occupied by members of her family for around one thousand years. As such, the ghosts that also reside in the castle are well known to the family and regularly communicate. This week is a busy one. A scholar is making a deal with Nora’s father to hunt for a Viking hoard on the property, proceeds to be split of course; a group of TV wanna-bees are on site to film the ghosts, with the hopes of commercial success; and Nora’s brother has set up a Viking fest for the weekend, complete with roast ox and burning dragon ship. The ghosts perform beautifully, leading people to clues, though not everyone behaves within honorable strictures as far as the treasure is concerned. There is a lot of skulking about, minor poisonings, and eventually a murder. Nora outdoes the police but readily shares what she learns. A very comfy cozy with friendly supernatural additions that is a nice easy read.—Danise Hoover

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Review

Kill to Keep

by Jeff Ayers

In her latest mystery, Taylor delivers a thrilling and atmospheric whodunit set against the backdrop of a traveling carnival on the eve of its grand opening. When Sheriff Bet Rivers and her boyfriend, Rob Collier, stumble upon a dead man during a stroll through the fairgrounds, the investigation quickly grows complicated. There was the sound of a gunshot, but the man bears no visible bullet wound. Even more puzzling, none of the carnival workers seems to recognize the victim, leaving Rivers with a nameless corpse and a growing list of suspects. As she fights for answers, the sheriff uncovers a world of deception, with workers operating under assumed names and a community built on secrets. The deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes that some of those hiding in the shadows will go to extreme lengths to stay hidden, including committing another murder. Taylor masterfully balances a richly drawn cast of characters with the cozy, small-town charm that makes this series so appealing. The mystery unfolds at a satisfying pace before building to a climax that is both breathtakingly tense and deeply rewarding. Best of all, newcomers to the series need not worry. This installment works beautifully as a standalone, making it an ideal entry point into the world of Sheriff Bet Rivers.—Jeff Ayers

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Review

A Taste for Murder

by Chris Kahn

A tremendously well-balanced, traditional novel—in the best sense of the word—that is sure to appeal to a wide range of crime-fiction readers. Joe Mottram is on leave from the London police and forced into a sabbatical on the island of Capri. Delightful, no? No. Matt is accompanied by his teen daughter, Angelica (for whom everything is just too much of a bother, except for boys). A fatal accident killed his wife a year ago, and father and daughter have a rocky relationship. And while they are staying at an idyllic resort, they could be staying at a Motel 6 for all the attention they pay each other. Until there is a murder, of course, and Joe jumps in to help young police inspector Lorra Lorrancio discover the killer. A Taste for Murder is rich in plot, but it is even richer in detail. As the story slowly unfurls, so too does the grief, beauty, and menace. Matt Baker is a British television screenwriter known for creating the ITV drama Hotel Portofin. Here’s hoping this novel is the start of a series.—Brian Kenney

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Review

Declan

by Danise Hoover

Though the subtitle of this novel is “a mystery,” it is not a standard of the genre as readers might expect. Declan left Ireland 40 years ago because he was wrongly accused of disloyalty to the Irish republican cause. In New York, he runs a successful business and has a large, prosperous family. He receives a note that forces his return, accompanied by two of his sons: Terry, an airline pilot; and Brennan, a priest. Family and friends welcome them wholeheartedly. This story is set in the 1990s, when sectarian issues are still quite hot. Terry is grabbed off the street and held captive, escaping by his own wits, but this is part of a different story from the one that brought Declan home. Leaving their father out of most of the dirty work, the sons do some deep investigation and figure out part of what’s going on, but the rest of the story, while explained, is not totally solved. If you have been longing for a trip to Ireland but haven’t the time or funds to take it, reading this will give you a real travelogue-like view of the country, especially of Dublin.—Danise Hoover

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Review

The Shadow Step

by Willy Williams

Book of the Week February 19, 2026

In ballroom dancing, a shadow step involves a pair of dancers facing the same direction, one of them standing behind and slightly to the left. In Blackpool, detective (and ballroom aficionado) Declan Miller’s third outing (after The Last Dance and The Wrong Hands), Afghan-war veteran Barry Cheshire and his wobbly dachshund, Ruby,  find themselves in this position when they are menaced in a local park by a teenaged drug dealer and his two very large XL Bully dogs. Cheshire accidentally pushes the knife-wielding lad into the lake, unwittingly setting off a chain of escalating disastrous events that include murder and kidnapping. While Miller works to connect the dots between the crimes, he continues to mourn his late wife (he frequently chats with her ghost), parent as best he can his drug-addicted stepdaughter, attend his weekly dance classes, and torment his police colleagues with his cheeky and sometimes tactless humor. This series is lighter in tone (although there’s still some grim violence) than Billingham’s DI Tom Thorne mysteries, and there is enough backstory to inform newcomers. Quirky humor, strongly developed characters, and plenty of exciting twists make this a refreshing read for fans of British crime fiction.—Willy Williams

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