Devi Nair

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Rory Kinnear — ARC from NetGalley ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: HarperCollins 📅 Publishing Date: April 28, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Here's the one thing that keeps me hooked on this series - the sheer brilliance and glorious weirdness of Anthony Horowitz making himself a character and then treating himself like the least important person in the room. This choice never gets old for me. In A Deadly Episode, we're back with the Hawthorne and Horowitz duo, and from the very first pages, Horowitz is being gently, cheerfully sidelined by his own publisher in favor of Hawthorne, because Hawthorne is the one who actually did it, right? The act of demeaning his own fictional character just enough to make Hawthorne look like the great towering genius of the story somehow works every single time. I spent half the book feeling bad for Horowitz and the other half admiring how brilliantly he's weaponizing that dynamic.

The premise is delicious. The film adaptation of The Word is Murder turns into a mystery itself. A screen version of The Word is Murder already feels meta, and then Horowitz drops a murder into the middle of it like he's casually showing off. The setting gave the story extra energy. I loved how the tensions behind the scenes mirrored the actual investigation. It all felt like a puzzle box built by someone who knows exactly how to keep the readers slightly off balance. The longer the book is, the happier I am because more pages means more time in this world, and nine hours of Rory Kinnear's narration felt like a gift I didn't deserve but absolutely accepted. Rory gives Hawthorn that superior edge while letting Horowitz sound perfectly self-deprecating, and the audiobook feels smoother, sharper, and like a complete character because of it.

And then there's Hawthorne's past. We get another tantalizing crumb of Danny Hawthorne's backstory in a just-enough way to keep you desperate for more. Every little glimpse into his childhood made me lean in harder, because I'm convinced there's a bigger story waiting there. I'm convinced a future book will pull back the curtain fully on who Hawthorne really is, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. This is the sixth book in the series, and Horowitz is still finding new ways to deepen it. That's not craft. That's sorcery.

Would I recommend it? This is a smart, playful, sharply constructed cozy mystery with a heavy dose of meta-fiction and one of the most entertaining author-as-character setup in crime fiction. I'm not even trying to be subtle. Anthony Horowitz is sheer genius , and this book is more proof of that.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by L.J. Ganser ⏱ Duration: 14 hours 🏷️ Publisher: SoHo Crime ARC provided by NetGalley Genre: Cozy Mystery

I want to paint you a picture: 30+ hours of flight delays. Lost baggage. Airport limbo. The kind of travel day that makes you question every life choices, including the one where you said yes to the connecting flight. And through every single chaotic minute of it, Björn Diemel had me cackling. Karsten Dusse did not just save my sanity on that trip, he elevated it, which fittingly, is very on-brand for a book about mindfulness.

Björn Diemel is a defense lawyer so deep in mob entanglement that his moral compass doesn't just spin, it's completely detached from its housing. And yet, through the lens of his therapy sessions with mindfulness counselor Joschka Brietner, he becomes genuinely thoughtful, present, and self-aware about everything except the murders. The mindfulness lessons at the start of each chapters, I'm not joking when I say, are legitimately applicable to real life. How does this man write a satirical crime romp that also doubles as a functional self-help guide? I don't know. I don't need to know. I just need the rest of the series RIGHT NOW!!

I should mention, I actually read Book 2 first because NetGalley approved it before this one landed in my queue. I went into Murder Mindfully already knowing I loved this world, and I was prepared to enjoy this one too. What I wasn't prepared for was loving Book 1 more. The origin story hits differently when you know where Björn ends up, The dark comedy is sharper here, the stakes feel fresher, and watching him justify his first foray into crime with the serenity of a man who has just discovered breathe work is chef's kiss.

The translation by Florian Duijsens deserves its own round of applause. The dry wit and comedic timing land perfectly in English. The narration by L. J. Ganser adds another layer to the beauty of this book. His dry, deadpan delivery perfectly matches Dusse's humor Imagine Breaking Bad meets Headspace, but make it cozy. That's this audiobook. This book was a German bestseller before it was anything else, and to think English readers almost missed it entirely? Absolutely criminal. (Björn would agree, and then he'd do something about it, very calmly.)

Would I recommend it? If you've been sleeping on this one, wake up, caffeinate, and add this to your TBR immediately. Murder Mindfully is the kind of book you'll want to shout about from rooftops while also texting your group chat the funniest quotes at midnight. It's dark, it's deliriously funny, it's oddly instructive about mindfulness, and it features one of the most unhinged protagonist I've ever had the pleasure of spending 14 hours with. This series is a gift to the reading world, and I will be at MOTIVE in Toronto in June, making absolutely no attempt to be cool when I meet Karsten Dusse.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins) 📅 Published: February 17, 2026 Genre: Fantasy

I'll be honest, I almost bailed on this book in the first few chapters. The pacing wobbled, and for a moment, I wondered if this magical library was one I'd quietly exit. But then, Kate Quinn hit the emotional resonance that makes her writing so addictive.

The concept of The Astral Library is exactly the kind of fantasy that speaks directly to the inner bookworm you've been carefully maintaining since childhood. A hidden library wher eyou can step inside your favorite novels and live there, not as the hero, but as a nobody? As the green grocer across from 221B Baker Street, watching Sherlock Holmes sweep past you on a Tuesday? As a teacher at Hogwarts, making small talk with McGonagall over a mug of butterbeer in the staffroom? As a retired resident of Coopers Chase trying to worm your way into Joyce's inner circle? (Just me? Fine!) I'd genuinely like to resign from real life and submit my CV to the Astral Library immediately. Kate Quinn was absolutely channeling her inner childhood bookworm with this one, and it shows. This book has the energy of someone who was told no, you can't live inside a story one too many times and finally decided to write back.

Alix is an easy to root character as a foster kid who's finally found a place where stories return her love. The slow-burn romance between her and the costume-maker adds tenderness without distracting from the central plot. The threat-to-the-library plot is solid, and Saskia Maarleveld narrates with the kind of warmth and energy that makes a 9-hour listen feels like three. What lingered for me though, was the delicious ache of wanting to step into a book and never leave. By the end, I had made approximately four different lists of which book worlds I would immediately apply to live in. That's the mark of a story that's done its job.

Would I recommend it? For every bookworm who has ever dog-eared a page and thought I'd never want to leave this world, this book is for you. This is not a perfect book. The pacing plays a little too coy with the very premise you came for. But the concept is pure joy, the narration is gorgeous, and the emotional core of books as refuge and libraries as lifelines, hits right where it's meant to. For those who've ever wished their library card was a portal pass, this one's for you.

📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 368 pages ⏱ Duration: ~5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Penguin Books 📅 Published: September 30, 2025

There are series that ride on peaks. Not every book hits the same high note, but the best ones know when to shift tempo. Richard Osman's Thursday Murder club series has found its rhythm, and The Impossible Fortune proves he knows exactly when to slow down for moments that matter most. Book 2 and Book 4 set the emotional benchmarks, but Book 5 lingers in its aftermath. The grief isn't loud, but it's everywhere. The book harmonizes with Book 4 beautifully.

Elizabeth is still reeling from Stephen's death, and Osman doesn't rush her grief. The scene where she and Bogdan stand around Stephen's empty chair discussing life gutted me. When Elizabeth offers Bogdan the chair saying "Stephen would have liked it," and Bodgan refuses because "he's still sitting here," I had to put my Kindle down. That's the kind of writing that sneaks up on you in a cozy mystery series about pensioners solving crimes.

The Nick and Holly kidnapping mystery is solid, twisty, and perfectly plotted. But here's the genius move. Osman let's the £35 million puzzle simmer in the background while Ron's story takes centre stage. Watching Ron protect his grandson Kenderick from Danny Lloyd's calculated cruelty was gut-wrenching in the best way. A ten-year-old carrying that much weight on his tiny shoulders felt unbearable to me, especially as I was reading it sitting next to my one-year-old niece. I wanted to bubble wrap him and protect him from the world. But then I remember he's got Suzi, Jason, Ron, and the entire Thursday Murder Club in his corner, with even Connie stepping up to protect him.

Osman takes what could have been a formulaic mystery and transforms it into masterclass in character development, proving that sometimes the best plot twist is caring more about the people than the puzzle. The impossible fortune in this book remained the people. Always the people!

Would I recommend it? Absolutely, unequivocally, without hesitation! The Impossible Fortune is what happens when an author trusts his characters enough to let them breathe, grieve, and grow while still delivering a cracking mystery. The Nick and Holly case provides plenty of intrigue, but the real story is watching Elizabeth find her footing and Ron stepping back into the fierce lion to protect his family. Osman executed a brilliant narrative sleigh of hand, making the 'main' mystery the backdrop while elevating the emotional stakes to the foreground. This is peak Thursday Murder Club.

📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 212 pages ⏱ Duration: 3 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Self Published (Sept 10, 2019) ARC provided by NetGalley

Here's the thing about small-town cozy mysteries: they live or die on the town. Mirror Falls had all the ingredients: a recently widowed protagonist starting over, a cast of quirky locals, a cold Minnesota setting practically begging for comfort reads and hot beverages. I was ready to settle in. The premise hooked me: Lainey, sharp ex-investigator, probes family secrets after Mary's test bombshell. Neat resolution ties it up, sure.

And then the story decided it was in a hurry. The rapid-fire events steamrolled everything. Situations piled up without breathing room, leaving characters as sketches, not folks you'd root for over coffee. No time to bond with Mirror Falls or feel the stakes. it all blurred into a hasty sprint. Pacing this breakneck kills the cozy heart. The DNA ancestry hook is genuinely clever, and inheritance-gone-wrong is a premise with real tension. But clever premise and satisfying execution are two different things, and this book doesn't quite bridge the gap.

I didn't finish this one wanting more time in Mirror Falls, which is rarely a good sign for book one of a series.

Would I recommend it? This one didn't land. Loose plot rushes through DNA twists without lovable characters or relatable stakes, despite tidy ending. Skipping the Lainey Maynard series. No pull to chase more Mirror Falls mayhem.

📚 Read as a book 📃 336 pages 🏷️ Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

I usually adore this series. There is something so uniquely charming about the Queen solving crimes between royal engagements. But this time, the vibe felt off almost immediately. Instead of easing me into the mystery with that familiar warm, observant tone, the story leaned harder into espionage and Cold War tension right out of the gate. It felt colder, sharper, and honestly… less inviting.

Maybe it was the 1961 Cold War setting or just the way the mystery kicked off, but the vibe felt more "chilly" than "cozy." I reached the 10% mark and realized I was checking my watch more than the clues. While the writing remains technically solid, the "heart" that usually shines through in this series felt buried under too much political setup for my current mood. It’s a classic case of "it's not you, it's me," but I decided to put it down for now.

📱📖 Read on Kobo 📃 421 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery

This book broke me! I was of course expecting sharp wit, a murder that shouldn't be funny but somehow is, Joyce's dairy entries making me snort-laugh, and a tidy resolution with smuggled goods and suspicious antiques. What I didn't expect was hot deeply it would hurt. That's the thing with Richard Osman. He lures you in with lunch plans that include a smuggler, a killer, a Canadian ghost, a con artist, and an antiques professor, like it's just another afternoon, and somewhere between the laughs, he quietly breaks your entire heart.

The laughs are still there. The mystery is solid. Art forgery, heroin, an execution-style murder that kicks everything off. The plot threads weave together the way Osman does best in a purposely messy but satisfying end. But let's be honest. Nobody reading Book Four of this series is here purely for the whodunit. We're here for them. The beating heart of this story belongs to Stephen and Elizabeth. Their love, tangled in dementia and its slow theft of memory, shines brighter than any twist or reveal. When Stephen's journey comes full circle, everything else fades into grey. You feel Elizabeth's silence, her grief, her stillness, and the world momentarily stops, for you too, along with her. And this is where Osman asks us to pay the emotional price of loving these characters. The dementia storyline with Stephen was always on the horizon, but nothing prepared me for how it lands. It doesn't happen loudly. It happens quietly, steadily, like a light being turned down on a dimmer watch.

I finished this book and genuinely zombied out. Couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about what it means to love someone through memory loss, to lose them while they're still right there. This book is a love letter to dementia and their caregivers, to people watching their favorite person disappear in real time, and Osman handles it with such devastating tenderness that I'm still not okay. A reminder that even in a mystery, the most haunting unknown is the human heart itself.

This isn't just the best book in the series, this is the best book ever. Full stop. I don't know how he would top it. I am not sure he needs to.

Would I recommend it? This is the Thursday Murder Club at its most human, most hilarious, and most heartbreaking all at once. The mystery is fun, the banter is beautiful, but the real star is the love story buried inside it. If you've been following the series, this is the one that will wreck you in the best possible way. Osman outdoes himself. This is storytelling with a soul. Keep tissues close!

📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 413 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Viking Genre: Cozy Mystery

Back to the TMC train and loving the ride! In the third installment, Richard Osman handed me a great time, with a side of chaos and a naive blackmailer I did not see coming. This book takes everything we love about the TMC (twisty plots, unexpected friendships, and laugh-out-loud moments) and amplifies it. The writing is sharper, the plotting is tighter, and the humor is just chef's kiss. Every time I thought a situation couldn't get more absurdly, delightfully ridiculous, he escalated it. But these impossible scenarios somehow made perfect sense here because that's the magic of the cozy world we sign up for.

The character growth continues to impress me. Elizabeth's layers keep peeling back in the most unexpected ways. The new additions (I'm not spoiling anything, but yes, the ex-KGB angle is just so brilliant) fit in so naturally that you forget they weren't always there. Ron's new love interest brought me genuine joy. I just feel slightly bad for Ibrahim as I feel he's being left out, but maybe something comes up in the future installments for him too? The celebrity subplot might have been gimmicky, but it actually lands because Osman trusts his characters enough to not let any storyline become just a punchline. The humour is earned, every single time.

Book 3 hits the sweet spot where laughter and murder coexist perfectly. This is the one where Richard Osman is fully in the driver's seat, grinning and absolutely flooring it. I finished this book grinning right back,, and immediately started looking up Book 4. No regrets. Zero!

Would I recommend it? If cozy mysteries that are actually funny, and not just charming, are you thing, then this series is non-negotiable. Book 3 peaks so far. The characters feel like friends you're rooting for. The mystery keeps you guessing, and Osman never lets the warmth outrun the wit. This one is a joyful blend of crime and comedy that cements Osman's spot as cozy mystery royalty. Jump in, stay, in, don't fight it!

🎧 Listened in Audio 📢 Narrated by: Stephanie Nemeth-Parker ⏱ Duration: 10 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Macmillan Audio & Minotaur Books 📅 Published: September 24, 2024 🧩 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Okay, full confession, I almost didn't read this one. The title had me in a grammatical spiral for longer than I'd like to admit. I kept thinking, shouldn't it be "A Serial Killer's Guide?", and that small, stubborn part of my grammar-obsessed brain nearly made me miss a truly engaging debut. Turns out, I was the one who needed correcting. It wasn't until my library holds started unfreezing (and desperation met curiosity) that I gave it a chance, and thankfully so. It's not a serial killer's guide. It's a serial killer tour guide. As in, Capri literally takes people on tours of San Francisco's darkest history. Once that clicked, the whole premise opened up like a fog lifting over the Bay, and I was genuinely hooked.

The layering is what works beautifully for this story. On the surface, you have a smart, sardonic, and slightly chaotic Capri, basically the perfect cozy mystery heroine, who does true crime tours, and a city that practically narrates itself. But underneath, there's real emotional weight of a woman trying to clear her grandfather's name while simultaneously protecting her own daughter from a murder charge. The stakes feel personal, and Capri's drive to untangle decades of family secrets gives the story a wonderful and engaging momentum. When a new wave of killing erupts, echoing "Overkill Bill's" crimes, especially when Capri's ex-mother-in-law becomes a victim, the stakes shoot up. The copycat angle was clever, and I genuinely didn't see the reveal (both of it) coming, which is always a win.

The audiobook, narrated by Stephanie Nemeth-Parker, works beautifully. Because the story is told through Capri's voice, Stephanie's steady, personable narration makes it feel like you're walking beside her on one of those eerie true-crime tours. The pacing is tight, and though familiar at first, the plot twist catch you off guard in the right ways. For a debut novel, Michelle Chouinard knocked it out of the park with a very polished and refreshingly voice-driven story. I already have Book 2 on hold at the library, which honestly says everything.

Would I recommend it? If you love true crime, amateur sleuths, and a mystery that actually keeps you guessing, this one earns its place. Capri's fierce loyalty, to both her family and the truth, is spectacular. It's atmospheric, sharp, and unexpectedly heartfelt. A great start to what promises to be a solid new series. A debut worth celebrating.

ARC provided by: NetGalley 📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 448 pages ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Soho Crime Expected Publishing: August 4, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery

With a title like My Inner Child wants to Kill, you'd never guess this is cozy, but oh, it absolutely is. Cozy in the chaos, maybe like, sipping herbal tea while hiding a body. This is one of the most genuinely funny, unexpectedly insightful books I've read in a long time. Karsten Dusse's humor translates brillantly into English, thanks to Florian Duijsens. I laughed out loud more times that I could count, and yes, this is definitely not a book to read in public unless you enjoy confused stares from strangers.

Björn Diemel’s mindfullness journey hits deeper this time. His therapist introducs the concept of inner-child healing, and Dusse manages to mix psychoanalysis, absurd comedy, and crime into something unexpectedly heartwarming. I'm still processing the fact that a dark comedy about a lawyer-turned-accidental-mafia-boss gave me actual, usable inner child therapy exercises. I did those exercises, people. I felt things. Somehow, the book doubles as a crime caper and a surprisingly effective self-help manual.

The distinction Björn makes between childish (an adult throwing a tantrum) and childlike (a child responding with age-appropriate clarity and creativity) hit differently than I expected. His inner child isn't a punchline. It's actually the most emotionally intelligent character in the book, and that's both hilarious and surprisingly moving. Björn trying very hard to not kill anyone while also absolutely killing everyone is a premise that shouldn't work this well, and yet here we are.

My biggest regret is not having read Book One first. I jumped in mid-series and while this absolutely holds up as a standalone read, I could feel the shadow of backstory I was missing. The kind that makes you want to sprint to Book One immediately and then binge the Netflix series at 1 am. The pacing is sharp, the supporting cast (yes, Sasha, you!) is wild in the best way, and the mindfulness chapter openers are equal part satirical and strangely soothing. Between mob meetings and meditation classes, Björn redefines what personal growth looks like, sometimes with hilarious collateral damage.

Would I recommend it? This book is proof that translated fiction is doing things English-language publishing hasn't caught up to yet. It delivers both humor and heart with surgical precision. If you love dark comedy, cozy-adjascent crime, or anything that makes you think while making you wheeze-laugh, this is your next read. My Inner Child Wants to Kill is clever, chaotic, and oddly healing. This one is a true gem.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla ⏱ Duration: 11 hours 🏷️ Published by Harper Collins, April 29, 2025 🎭 Genre: Mystery

This story sets you up for a middle-aged chaos wrapped in marital discontent. The opening leans heavily into humor and relatable frustration: decades long marriages, bad money choices, and the kind of "we love them, but also maybe want to kill them" energy only friendship and resentment can brew. Kiiri Sandy and John Pirhalla gave the wives and husbands such distinct energy that kept track of all the characters almost effortlessly.

And then the tone shifted. About halfway through, the book takes a turn that's noticeably darker, and I found myself recaliberating. Is this cozy? A thriller? A crime caper? The answer seems to be all three, and while that's an ambitious swing, it doesn't always land cleanly. The tonal unevenness threw me off more than once, and there are quietly devastating, emotional threads woven into these marriages that deserved more room to breathe than they got. Some of them simply drift away unresolved, which, depending on your reading style, will either feel like intentional ambiguity, or an unsatisfying loose end. The moral ambiguity of every single character made me question the choices made in the second half of the book so intently, I forgot I was doing laundry while listening to the audiobook.

The ending is where I found myself most conflicted. It's tidy, perhaps too tidy, and while I could follow the logic of how things wrapped up, I wasn't entirely convinced. It felt more like a conclusion the story needed rather than one it fully earned. I couldn't sympathize or empathize with a single character in the book, and couldn't, for the life of me, align with how any of their character arcs ended. It's messy, maybe intentionally so, but maybe that's the point that marriages, money, and midlife regrets are never tidy.

Would I recommend it? This one is tricky. You would either love or hate the book. Go in expecting a darkly absurd ride, not a cozy mystery. It's uneven, and brings out very strong emotions, and a few loose threads leaving you more puzzled than satisfied by the final page.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Gretchen McCulloch ⏱ Duration: 8 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Books on Tape / Riverhead Books 📚 Genre: Nonfiction | Linguistics | Technology

"Because Internet" is one of those rare nonfiction listens that makes you nod along every few minutes. Gretchen McCulloch beautifully explains how online language evolved by excavating the instincts you've already been acting on for decades and handing them back to you, labeled and lit up, and suddenly you see the whole thing in a brand new light. From early chatroom days to TikTok linguistics, she connects the dots between our key-smashing, emoji-studded messages and the deeper human need to express tone, rhythm, and emotion in a text-based world.

The argument is deceptively simple. Human communication has always been a full-body experience. We talk with our hands, our faces, our eyebrows, the tilt of our heads. The moment we moved to text, we lost all of that, and then, emojis evolved to give it back to us. That's why the most used emojis are faces and hands. We weren't decorating our messages. We were restoring our bodies to our words. Not only this, the book also demystifies linguistic trends without condescension, showing how creativity drives our everyday online speech. Along with the emojis evolution, I also loved her explanation on how GIFs and memes evolved for us to quirkily express ourselves more with pictures than with words, adding tone in an otherwise toneless world of alphabet.

The fact that McCulloch narrates her own book is beautiful. There's no distance between the researcher and her ideas. She's enthusiastic and warm and a little nerdy in the best way, like being tutored by someone who is genuinely thrilled that you asked. As someone who's watched the internet grow from dial-up days to DMs, this book hit a nostalgic and insightful sweet spot. This is the kind of book that makes you look at 🙏 and think: that's a bow, a high five, and a prayer all at once, and we all just... agreed on that. Informally. Together. On the Internet.

Would I recommend it? OBSESSED. Completely, embarrassingly obsessed. I've been narrating emoji meanings at people who did not ask. I reread my old texts looking for linguistic patterns. I used the phrase "restoring our bodies to our writing" in an actual conversation and meant it. Because Internet is one of the most quietly mind-expanding books I've encountered, the kind that doesn't just teach you something new, it changes how you see something you already knew. Essential listening.

📚 Read as a book 📃 422 pages ⏱ 5 hours read time 🏷️ Penguin 📖 Read as part of April Book Club

Okay, I owe Richard Osman an apology, a fruit basket, and possibly a handwritten letter on fancy stationary. For two years, I was that person at every gathering insisting the Thursday Murder Club was overrated. I watched the Netflix movie. Unmoved. I read Book 1. Twice. Unimpressed. So when my book club voted this in for April, I volunteered to moderate specifically to avoid having to have opinions about it. That was the plan. A solid, airtight plan. And then I made the catastrophic mistake of actually reading it.

Plot twist!! I LOVED IT! LOVED IT!!!

Book 2 is where Richard Osman apparently decided to stop playing nice. He took everything that was mildly amusing me in book one and dialed it up to an eleven. The pacing is tighter, the stakes are genuinely higher, and the characters, Elizabeth, joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim feel less like a quirky concept and more like people you'd absolutely want in your corner. The banter between the gang feels sharper, warmer, and somehow more alive. The emotional backbone, especially Elizabeth's past and the way it collides with her present, hit me harder than I expected. The mystery layers itself beautifully. Stolen diamonds, a mob connection, an old flame with secrets, and a body count that keeps climbing just when you think things are settling. I found myself sneaking in chapters whenever I could, flipping pages with that delirious "just one more" energy I hadn't felt in ages, and I say that as someone who showed up to this book looking for a reason to complain.

What really got me is how Osman handles the emotional weigth without ever tipping into melodrama. These are people in their seventies, living full, sharp, messy, funny lives, and the book never once condescends to them or to the reader. I borrowed books 3 and 4 even before I finished this one. I have zero regrets. I deserve this series far less than I'm getting it.

Would I recommend it? Consider this my official recant. If you bounced off Book 1, same! Come back anyway! This is the one where The Thursday Murder Club crew found their rhythm, and it's brilliant. Sharp British humor, a mystery that actually surprises you, and characters with enough warmth and depth to carry a dozen books. It's the kind of read that'll make you call your book club and say I was wrong, I was so wrong. Please forgive me.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: CSE Cooney ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Tantor Media and Kensington Cozies

Six books in and Rarity Cole still has the power to make me root for her like it's the first time. There's something genuinely refreshing about a protagonist whose entire arc is built on gratitude, in a quiet, lived-in way that makes you think. Rarity remains a woman whose second act feels refreshingly grounded in resilience rather than reinvention. Her quiet strength and warmth give the series the emotional backbone that makes each mystery hit a little deeper. In Sleuthing with the Stars, Lynn Cahoon balances the glamour of Sedona's film festival with the everyday charm of a small-town bookstore, creating a backdrop both picturesque and relatable.

The film festival backdrop is a fun shake-up for Sedona, with a lot of glitz, gossip, and people with their agendas wrapped up in charm. the murder mystery itself clips along at a pace that feels earned rather than rushed, with enough red herrings to keep you second guessing without feeling manipulated. Darby is the friend in need this time. Her return from Scotland adds a lovely layer of warmth and chaos in equal measure. She's magnetic in the best way, and watching her inadvertently stumble into the centre of a murder investigation is exactly the kind of deliciously cozy setup I'm here for. The mystery unfolds with the trademark Cahoon coziness, with no wild car chases, but plenty of intrigue, secrets, and character-driven twists.

And then there's CSE Cooney. Honestly, if you're sleeping on the audiobook version of this series, you are doing yourself a disservice. She brings Rarity's world to life with this warm, effortless command over the cast. Every character feels distinctly themselves, and she never lets the energy sag even when the plot takes a breath. The narration doesn't just complement the story, it elevates it. Nine hours in her hands felt like a gift.

Would I recommend it? If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with genuine heart, the kind where friendship and resilience sit right alongside the whodunit, Sleuthing with the Stars delivers on every front. It's warm, witty, and Rarity Cole continues to be the protagonist this genre deserves. Whether you're a longtime fan of the series or looking for your next comfort read, this one will sit well for you. Heartwarming, gently suspenseful, and perfect for your next weekend listen.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Mary Roach ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Books on Tape and W.W. Norton & Company 📚 Read as part of: Goodreads Challenge – Hot & Fresh: The New Hit Books According to Fellow Readers

I came into this one riding the Goodreads hype train. A book about how the human body can be rebuilt, piece by piece, sounds wild and fascinating in equal measure. New release, big energy, everyone buzzing about Mary Roach's latest dive into the weird corners of science. I've enjoyed her work before, especially her knack of turning the macabre into something delightfully human. The concept is brilliant on paper, the research is clearly deep, and the structure promises a wild ride through labs, operating rooms, and the strange frontiers of regenerative medicine.

However, I had to tap out at 10%, not because the writing was bad, but because it just wasn't my kind of non-fiction. There's a specific type of science writing that works best for me: narrative-led, character-driven, emotionally anchored. This one felt more like an enthusiastically delivered textbook tour, and no matter how witty the guide, if the subject matter isn't clicking for you viscerally, nine hours is a long time to sit with it.

For the right reader, this is genuinely a five-star experience. It's been named one of the best science books of 2025 by Time, Scientific American, and the Chicago Public Library. Fans of Stiff and Fuzz are already obsessed. I'm just not the reader this book needed, and that's okay. Not every well-made thing is made for every person, and recognizing that early is actually the kindest thing you can do for your reading life.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Rebecca Mitchell ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Published by Tantor Media & Kensington Cozies | March 31, 2026

I've followed Bailey King from book one, and every visit back to Harvest feels like coming home, with a side of fudge samples and small-town gossip. Ten books in and this series doesn't lose its charm one bit. Truffle Trouble picks up right as Bailey and Aiden tie the knot, and of course, Amanda Flower can't resist spiking the champagne with a little murder. Flower's signature warmth is that she doesn't just build mysteries, she builds communities. The familiar Amish setting adds sincerity and charm, while the cozy vibe humor keeps things breezy even while bodies start dropping.

What really had me hollering though, is Bailey's schedule. This woman investigated a murder, questioned half the town, figured out the killer (which, yes, I guessed too, but the journey was still delicious), pig-sat Jethro for what felt like the entire runtime, and somehow produced approximately two thousand candies overnight, while also being a newlywed and pet parent to a rabbit and a cat! I have one job, and a book review blog, and I don't even cook because it overwhelms me. Bailey, babe, what are you on, and can I have some? The sheer audacity of her productivity is both aspirational and deeply insulting to the rest of us.

Rebecca Mitchel's narration deserves its own standing ovation. She moves through English, Pennsylvania Dutch, and Jean Pierre's flamboyant Canadian French seamlessly, while also keeping Bailey's vulnerability and strength unique in her voice. Mami's heart attack loomed in the background, while Jean Pierre's budding romance with Lois added a required layer of warmth in the story. Flower manages to blend humor, tenderness, and suspense into a story that hits all the cozy mystery checkboxes.

Would I recommend it? If you've been sleeping on the Amish Candy Shop Mystery series, Truffle Trouble is your sign to start from book one and sprint your way here. It's cozy mystery comfort food — sweet, satisfying, and full of characters you'd genuinely invite to your own wedding. Amanda Flower packs so much heart into this small Ohio town that it barely fits inside nine hours of audio. Bailey may lack a spine when it comes to Margo, but this book? It has plenty. A perfect listen for anyone craving a cozy mystery with community spirit, humor, and heaps of heart.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Eric Fox and Shaina Summerville ⏱ Duration: 11 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks & Crooked Lane Books 📅 Published: January 27, 2026 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Not once, not once, did this book lose pace. When I saw an 11-hour runtime, I thought I'd cruise through it at 2x speed while answering emails. Big mistake! Thirty minutes later, I had slowed it down, put away everything else, and was completely, embarrassingly, hopelessly in. Not once, not a single chapter, not a single scene, did this book give me an excuse to zone out. That almost never happens. Michelle L. Cullen, I need you to understand what you have done to me and my productivity.

Harry is the kind of character you'd roll your eyes at on paper: grumpy, set in his ways, a man who communicates in scowls and sarcasm. But rather, he's actually magnetic. Eric Fox's narration had me genuinely attached to this man in a way I wasn't prepared for. Shaina Summervile voiced Emma's bright, determined energy goes so well in contrast to Harry's personality. The Harry-Emma dynamics is the kind of slow-build, cross-generational partnership that cozy mystery fans dream about. The fact that this is a debut novel should be filed under crimes against the literary community because it simply isn't fair.

As an audiobook, this was a chef's kiss. Eric Fox and Shaina Summerville nailed the dual tone. The two narrators together make the dual POV feel completely natural. This is the rare audiobook that turns a good book into a great experience. The mystery itself is genuinely well-constructed with layered suspects, a neighbourhood full of buried secrets, and a twist that earns its reveal.

A sequel, A Field Guide to Death and Deceit, is coming in September, and I have already mentally cleared my calendar.

Would I recommend it? This is one of those rare debuts that feels like it arrived fully formed in the sharp, funny, humane, and deeply satisfying way. The pacing is relentless in the best possible way, the characters will live in your head rent-free, and the narrators are an absolute gift. This is the cozy mystery that anyone who has ever wanted a grumpy-sunshine, cross-generational, odd-couple detective duo will lose their mind over.

📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 220 pages ⏱ Duration: 4 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Bold Strokes Books 📅 To be published on April 14, 2026 📚 ARC provided by NetGalley Genre: Queer Romance

I'll be honest, I walked into this book skeptical. I requested an ARC without clocking that it was a romance novel, got approved, and decided I was going to read it with maximum skepticism. I was Sawyer. Fully, completely, embarrassingly Sawyer. And then, Jenna happened, and now I'm sitting here writing a five-star review of a sapphic romance novel like it's just a normal Tuesday, so.

Heavily pregnant Charlotte and Sawyer's mom (whose name escapes me, but whose energy I adored) bring real texture to the story without hogging the spotlight. There's a refreshing restraint in how little page time gets wasted on characters who are unnecessary drama (Amanda, you know what you did. Moving on.) The banter between Jenna and Sawyer is sharp, genuine, and flirty enough to make even the most cynical reader blush, but not too sticky to make you give up on romance.

What really hit me, though, were Jenna's impassioned defenses of romance genre. Her logic, that romance keeps the fiction world alive, is both funny and true. Through her, the book reads as both a love story, and a love letter to love stories. Jenna doesn't apologize for what she loves, and Beers clearly doesn't either. The writing has this lovely, confident energy, like someone who knows exactly the story they are telling and why it matters. As someone who picked this book up with a grudge, and put it down converted, I think the argument lands harder than any narrative ever could.

Would I recommend it? I came in skeptic and left a believer, which is honestly the most on-brand way to review a book that's literally about changing someone's mind about romance. This is a feel-good queer romance that earns its warmth, has just enough tension to keep things interesting, and features one of the most quietly compelling defenses of the romance genre I've read in fiction. Even if you think romance isn't your thing, The Girl Next Door might just prove you wrong.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Eva Kaminsky ⏱ Duration: 10 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Recorded Books Inc. / Penguin Random House Australia 📅 Published: January 23, 2024

I can't remember how this one landed on my radar. Maybe a forgotten book club recommendation? Either way, I'm so glad I pressed play on this brilliant meta premise, and that is what genuinely stood out for me in The Busy Body. Kemper Donovan plays with meta-narrative in a way that really pulled me into the story. The ghostwriter (deliberately nameless, and fascinatingly secretive about her identity) is telling the story in retrospect, occasionally commenting on how she would have said or acted differently in hindsight with the knowledge that she now possesses. That "if only I knew then" narrative layer gave the whole book a deliciously dramatic irony. You're reading a mystery, sure, but you're also watching someone process it in real time, looking back. That's such a clever device, and it worked beautifully in audio.

Dorothy Gibson is such an absolute force. I found myself deeply curious on who she might have been modeled after. A fiercely intelligent, politically independent woman with the kind of presence and gravitas, she ruled the pages she was on. Sharp, articulate, and much too human for the caricature she's become in the press, Dorothy feels like she could have walked out of a real-world campaign trail.

Eva Kaminsky's narration is pitch perfect. She captures both Dorothy's magnetic authority and the ghostwriter's quite observation. The twists kept coming, and I'll be honest, I figured out part of the mystery towards the end, but not nearly enough of it to feel smug about it. The rest genuinely caught me off-guard. If I had one gripe, it's the ghostwriter's ending. I won't say more, but let's just I had a different ending in mind for her, and closing that final chapter left me with a faint, specific disappointment. Not enough to sour me on the book, but enough to sit with me. Still, I'll absolutely be back for her next case without a second thought.

Would I recommend it? If you are a fan of cozy mysteries with literary backbone and a whodunit that actually delivers, this one belongs in your list. It's clever without being smug, warm without being saccharine, and twisty enough to earn its ending. Eva Kaminsky's narration brought the ghostwriter narration to life. The meta-narration alone makes this worth your attention.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Meg Josephson ⏱ Duration: 7 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio & Gallery Books

This book didn't just speak to me. It saw me. Meg Josephson doesn't just name fawning. She traces it all the way back. To the child who learned that being easy, agreeable, and small was the price of safety. To the girl who was taught to hug Uncle Richard whether she wanted to or not. To the version of you who stopped knowing what she liked, what she wanted, what felt like her, because she'd been adapting for so long she forgot there was a her to come back to. Listening to Meg Josephson narrate her own words felt like hearing a wiser, softer version of myself whispering truths I'd forgotten I knew. Her compassion never slips into cliche. Instead, she offers quiet revelations about what it means to find safety within yourself instead of searching for validations from those who may never give it. That's a gut punch with compassion wrapped around it, and Josephson delivers it so gently, you almost don't feel it landing until you're already crying.

What also hit hard was the section on healing, specifically, what healing actually means Moving forward while still holding the loss. And for women especially, this book goes somewhere a lot of other such books doesn't. It names the conditioning directly. The good girl. The cool girl. The caretaker. The one who was taught to want less, need less, be less. And then wondered why she felt so depleted and so far from herself. There's something deeply radical about how Josephson reframes self-care, not as bubble baths or affirmations, but as an act of rebellion in a world that profits from out self doubt.

Each chapter felt like slowly building trust with my inner child again, reminding her that she's not too much, not broken, and that it's safe to take up space. And by the end, you're left with a sense that you are not in trouble, you are not secretly a bad person, and healing at your own pace is exactly the pace you're supposed to be at.

Would I recommend it? This book moved me in a way few nonfiction titles ever have. It's for anyone who has spent years apologizing for their own existence or hustling for love that never felt secure. This book doesn't just explain people-pleasing. It honours the journey back to yourself. It's warm, it's precise, it's deeply humane, and it gave language to things I didn't know I needed named. If you've ever shrunk yourself to fit a room, carried guilt that was never yours, or wondered why you're still people-pleasing even when you know better, this is your book!

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Fiona Hampton ⏱ Duration: 9 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Books on Tape / Random House Audio

A locked room mystery wrapped in corsets, with a heroine who'd rather read crime reports than practice the planoforte! How can I not get intrigued? Beatrice Steele is the kind of heroine you'd root for quietly. She's clever, observant, and absolutely out of step with her oh-so-proper world. Her curiosity about crime felt refreshing, even rebellious, but I couldn't help arguing with her over her life choices. I mean, girl, you spent half the novel carefully guarding your secret passion for true crime, and then walked directly into the crime scene like you owned the place. Make it make sense!! I get the appeal of finally having your moment. I do! but the logic didn't hold up, and that niggled at me throughout.

Fiona Hampton's narration sold me on the setting. Julia Seales is clearly having the time of her life poking fun at the Regency convention, and it shows. The world of Swampshire is delightfully absurt. Names that telegraph exactly who these people are, social rules that border on performance art, and a cast of characters that feels like Austen wrote them after one too many brandies. The romance with Vivek Drake sneaks up on you in the best possible way.

Where the story lost me was in its pacing. Just when I was leaning in, the mystery kept getting politely interrupted by balls, suitor assessments, and ongoing saga of Louisa's marriage prospects. I understand why. That's the whole comedic tension of the book. But it all felt a little too well-mannered for its own good. The killer reveal though! I didn't see that one coming, and that earned the book a significant goodwill. A satisfying final chapter does a lot of heavy lifting for a book.

Would I recommend it? If you've ever wished Bridgerton had a body count, this is your book. It's witty, it's absurd in all the right ways, and the killer reveal alone makes the slower middle worth sitting through. The audiobook narration is a genuinely great match for the material. I had fun, I just wasn't obsessed, and I probably won't be picking up the next Beatrice Steele adventure. But for a one-time romp through murderous Regency England, it was absolutely worth your 9 hours.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by the author ⏱ Duration: 5 hours 🏷️ Published by Books on Tape and Ten Speed Press, February 13, 2018 📚 Genre: Non-fiction

Okay, full disclosure: I went into this book expecting a lecture. The kind of "put your phone down and go touch grass" energy that makes you feel personally attacked before chapter two. What I got instead was Catherine Price essentially sitting across from me, completely non-judgemental, going "Yeah, I get it. I was the same. Let's figure this out together", because, let's be honest, we've all had that moment when a "quick check" of social media turns into a 45-minute abyss.

The tone of the book makes a whole world of difference. The science section hits hard. The way Catherine Price breaks down how apps are deliberately designed to hijack your dopamine loop isn't just eye-opening, it's quietly destabilizing too. She doesn't get preachy throughout the book. She's realistic, witty, and most of all, kind. She understands the modern-day struggle between staying informed and staying sane.

Price divides the book into two smart parts: understanding why we're hooked, and how to unhook ourselves without panic-inducing disconnections. The practical tips are where this book earns its place on the shelf. Small, bite-sized, manageable changes. Not a cold-turkey digital detox fantasy that you'll abandon by Day 3. I'm someone who averages about 3 hours of screen time daily, and after applying just a handful of her suggestions (the ones I could actually live with), I've dropped down to 1.5 to 2 hours. That's real. That's measurable. That's the kind of result that makes you recommend a book unprompted at dinner.

Would I recommend it? If you've ever caught yourself reaching for your phone with zero reason and zero memory of how it got in your hand, this book is for you. It won't shame you into change. It'll science you into it, which honestly works much better. This one isn't about deleting your apps and retreating into the woods. It's about balance. Not every suggestion will land, and that's okay. Pick the ones you can live with. That's the whole point. Price offers doable changes that feel empowering rather than punishing.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by: Nissae Isen ⏱ Duration: 6 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Tundra Books Group

I have a soft spot for YA and middle-grade mysteries that sneak in lessons about real life under the cover of fun. Death by Whoopee Cushion does just that. Manya is exactly the right kind of twelve-year-old protagonist. She's sharp enough to carry the plot, self-aware enough to be funny, and emotionally messy in all the ways that feel true. She's growing up in her parents' joke shop, where fart gags and fake poop are serious business, but her real love is science. The cringe-worthy parent dynamic is played beautifully. It's not just a punchline, it's the whole emotional engine of the book. You feel the love underneath the embarrassment, and the tension behind"I love you but please stop" is something readers of every age will recognize immediately. The writing never over-explains. It just lives there, quietly doing the heavy-lifting.

What really got me though was the found family thread running through it all. Isaac's mom stepping up to protect Manya when her world falls apart, hit differently. The science woven into the mystery is clever enough without feeling like homework. It actually made me want to look things up, which is exactly what a good middle grade book should do. The pacing is tight. The mystery earns its resolution, and Nissae Isen's narration keeps the energy exactly where it's needed for six hours straight. This is the kind of book you'd hand to a kid and then quietly read it yourself.

Would I recommend it? This one's clever, heartfelt, and surprisingly profound for a story about prank gadgets. This book is not just for 12-year-olds but for everyone. It's a mystery that respects young adults enough to give them real stakes, real science, and real feelings. Vicki Grant knows exactly what she's doing, and the result is genuinely delightful. Perfect, though, for young readers who love science, humor, and good mysteries with actual heart.

🎧 Listened in audio 📢 Narrated by Dr. Jennifer Gunter ⏱ Duration: 18 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Random House Canada

The title best describes the book. It's supposed to have some sharp debunking of menstruation myths, and Dr. Jen Gunter absolutely delivers it. The book left me with a kind of quiet, slow-burning anger that only comes from realizing how much information has been deliberately kept from us, wrapped in shame and passed off as normal. Dr Jen Gunter explains away centuries of weaponized ignorance, with a frankness that feels like finally sitting across from a doctor who actually has time for your questions. Her narration feels equal parts doctor, teacher, and big sister who's just done with societal nonsense.

The best parts about this book are the myth-bursting chapters. Each time Gunter connects a ridiculous cultural belief about periods (think menstrual blood as face mask because of the "medicinal properties", or ancient rituals rooted in fear of women's bodies) to the actual science of why that narrative exists, I came out of it with equal parts fascination and anger. The message is clear and powerful: your body is yours. Your comfort is yours. For your comfort and relief, you owe no one any apology.

That said, the audio book is dense. I love a good scientific deep-dive, but at times, it felt like getting lost in a medical journal. the 18-hour listen occasionally dragged, especially when the data took precedence over storytelling or cultural critique. Around the 15- hour mark, I found myself satisfied enough to stop, partly because the key takeaway had already sunk in for me: my body, my comfort, my rules!

Still, the combination of history, medicine, and haunting cultural insight makes this book essential reading. It's empowering, educational, and thoroughly dismantles shame in a space that desperately needs candor and compassion.

Would I recommend it? This is a required reading for anyone who wants to understand how deeply shame and misinformation have shaped women's healthcare, and how science, culture, and gender politics intersect. It's not a breezy listen, and it can be dense in some stretches, but the moments of clarity and empowerment make it worth the effort. Dr Gunter's work is bold, factual, and deeply validating. Think of it as a book your body deserved long before now.

📱📖 Read on Kindle 📃 352 pages ⏱ Read time: 5 hours 🏷️ Publisher: Ace 📅 ARC provided by NetGalley 🗓️ Release Date: April 14, 2026

I came into this one already a little biased. Hand me anything with a Dresden Files label and I'm basically a golden retriever who just heard the word "walk". The Goodman Grey story Mister Petty absolutely delivered. Grey is Harry Dresden without the moral hand-wringing, and watching him operate in his own spotlight felt like being a handed a gift. If Butcher ever decides to give Grey a full novel, I will pre-order it at midnight without blinking.

The anthology as a whole is a solid sampler platter of urban fantasy. You've got witches, demons, vampires, and at least one ghost with a serious grudge, which honestly, is the energy we all deserve. The theme of payback ties everything together just enough to give it cohesion without feeling forced. Some stories introduced me to worlds and author I hadn't explored before, and a few of those are already on my TBR now. That's exactly what a good anthology should do. It's a speed-dating event for book series, and I left with a few numbers.

If you are a fan of The Dresden Files or urban fantasy in general, this collection offers enough sparks to keep you turning pages.

Would I recommend it? It's a solid read, especially for fans of Harry Dresden Universe. It's a genuinely fun read with some standout moments, a few new authors worth following, and at least one story (you know which one, Grey fans) that'll have you grinning. Not every story hits home, but enough did to make it worth the few hours I spent with it.