John Staughton, Senior Reviewer

A unique and unusual noir thriller by author CB Laurence, Murder at the Mansfield is the first moody installment of the Express Investigations series. When Hollywood’s sweetheart ends up behind bars for alleged murder, it will take a divorce attorney turned investigator with a big heart and a silver tongue to unravel the tangled case. An unlikely team of sleuths diving dangerously deep into the seedy underworld of power, lust, and money, this quick and gritty mystery is escapist fiction at its best. Sharp dialogue pulls readers into the past, while larger-than-life personalities torn from the big screen make this […]

A quick and breezy read for young travelers and nature lovers, Little Squiggle’s Lake Adventure by Laura Smetana and Stirling Hebda, with illustrations by Laura Smetana, is a charming tale of exploration and friendship. As Little Squiggle learns, doing something for the first time can be scary, and things don’t always go according to plan, but taking risks can also deliver exciting rewards. With vivid watercolor illustrations and easy-to-follow language, this is an ideal bedtime story for those just beginning their reading journeys. Though the plot does move quickly, and can sometimes feel abrupt, the lessons are clearly conveyed for […]

Peeling back the psychological curtain of trauma and its devastating impacts, Unknown Assailant by Joanne Doucette is a smart, well-researched, and wildly unpredictable thriller. A keen detective and a no-nonsense psychologist, Beau and Pepper make an electrifying investigative team at the core of this third installment of the Dr. Pepper Hunt Mystery series – their sleuthing savvy is only overshadowed by the undeniable tension that sparks and flashes between them. Pushing past procedural tropes of the genre and diving into thought-provoking narration, Doucette flexes both her storytelling and psychoanalytical skills. Though the narration does far more heavy lifting than the […]

Author Kelly Evans transports readers to 7th century France in The Beggar Queen, a masterfully penned mosaic of historical fact and compelling fiction. In an era where life is cheap, but love can be costly, an unlikely young woman navigates the treacherous waters of the Merovingian court and changes the course of history, though few have ever heard her name. Steeped in cultural, religious, and societal detail, this story will appeal to academic lovers of history, as well as those seeking a dramatic escape. While the dialogue occasionally feels too modern, and there are some anachronistic idioms, the reading […]