Three Reviews for the Price of One Post!

 

First Line from Prologue: Île de la Cité, Paris 2019. The fire peels Notre Dame like an illuminated manuscript soaked in water, its layers separating, releasing their secrets.

Skylark is a dual-timeline story about underground Paris. The timelines take place in 1664 and 1939, and concern the daughter of a master dyer at the Gobelin Tapestry Works who tries to save her father when he is unjustly accused of a crime, and a psychiatrist faced with the Nazi persecution of Jews.

The prologue concerning the burning of Notre Dame led me to expect more from the present day; however, it was used just to show readers how certain events can uncover stories and secrets. 

Seventeenth-century dye-making techniques and the three hundred plus kilometers of tunnels and catacombs under Paris made for some very interesting reading, but the story ultimately never engaged me as much as I thought it might. 

Skylark by Paula McLain

eISBN: 9781668028179

Atria Books © 2026

eBook, 464 pages

Historical Fiction, Standalone

Rating: B

Source: Net Galley

First Lines: I never meant to see what was in his drawer. I was never a mother who snooped.

In this thriller, two teenage girls have been found dead in a wealthy Chicago suburb, and high school counselor Abby Rosso begins to suspect that her son might be their killer.

Occasionally, I forget that I have to be careful with the psychological thrillers that I choose to read. In the case of What Boys Learn, I found whodunit to be much too easy to deduce and the neurotic Abby Rosso extremely annoying. The pace of the book was very slow, and more editing would not only have sped the story along but also not given me the time to realize how little I cared for any of the characters.

What Boys Learn by Andromeda Romano-Lax

eISBN: 9781641296922

Soho Press © 2026

eBook, 464 pages

Standalone Psychological Thriller

Rating: D

Source: Net Galley

First Line from Prologue: Cambridge, 1935. The banks of the River Cam were a bustle of activity on the first day of the Lent Bumps.

When Iris Sparks' friend from her Cambridge days is suspected of being a Soviet operative, British Intelligence coerces her to find out the truth. First, she and business partner/friend Gwen Bainbridge must find a way for the suspect to hire their marriage service.

I have enjoyed this series from the very first book, and having the opportunity to see the irrepressible Iris Sparks in her university days was a treat. Fire Must Burn also gives readers a chance to watch a spy-in-training while navigating the murky dealings of the intelligence service. 

While reading this eighth book in the series, I suddenly realized that one of the reasons I like it so much is the repartee between Sparks and Bainbridge, and that repartee is reminiscent of T. E. Kinsey's Lady Hardcastle series, another favorite of mine.  

Bring on the next adventure for Iris and Gwen! These books are definitely "more-ish."

Fire Must Burn by Allison Montclair

eISBN: 9781448315949

Severn House © 2026

eBook, 256 pages

Historical Mystery, #8 Sparks & Bainbridge

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley

Mark These Read

 

Welcome to the latest edition of my feeble attempts to catch up on my reviews. These catch-up reviews are going to be short and sweet, but at least you'll have an idea of what pages I've been turning the past few months! (I'll also provide links to Amazon in each title if you want to learn more about any of the books.)

Let's get started!

The Last Supper by Rosemary Shrager

#1 Prudence Bulstrode cozy mystery

Rating: B

My Thoughts: This mystery revolving around a murder during an English country house shooting party started a bit awkwardly, but soon hit its stride. The author is a celebrity chef, and readers certainly get an insider's look at both celebrity chefs and cooking. 

One thing I liked about Prudence Bulstrode (besides her name!) was the fact that she planned all her sleuthing around the meals she had to prepare for the guests at the country house. So many times, amateur sleuths seem to forget that they have bills to pay and blithely skip away to look for clues. 

Filled with interesting characters, a solid mystery, and plenty of humor, I'll be returning to see what Prudence cooks up next.

Michael's Wife by Marlys Millhiser

Standalone Suspense

Rating: C+

My Thoughts: Having enjoyed Millhiser's book, The Mirror, I looked forward to this tale of a woman with amnesia who finds herself thrown into one of those rich, entitled families that would put a nest of vipers to shame. Unfortunately, I found the book to be pedestrian and lacking suspense.

My advice: Skip this one, but if you like excellent time travel stories, find The Mirror.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain

Standalone Historical Fiction

Rating: A

My Thoughts: After watching the film, Out of Africa, I read many non-fiction books about that time period in Africa (fascinating!) One of the books that made my all-time favorite books list was Beryl Markham's memoir, West With the Night.

When I began to read Circling the Sun, I immediately fell under the spell of Markham's voice. This woman lived an incredible life, mixing the early days of aviation (she was the first person to fly solo west across the Atlantic), growing up with the Kikuyu in Kenya, African wildlife, and horse racing.

McLain's book is a tale well told, and I'll be reading more of her work.

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

#1 Martini Club thriller

Rating: A

My Thoughts: Maggie Bird lives in the seaside village of Purity, Maine-- along with several other retired CIA operatives. When Maggie's past rises up, she goes to those friends to take advantage of the more than 100 years of experience they share. 

As Maggie showed me how careful she is with every single move she makes, I was exhausted-- and grateful that I'll never have to live that way. Local police chief Jo Thibodeau is a hoot ("Outmaneuvered by a bunch of old folks"), and I'm looking forward to seeing more of her as well as Maggie's neighbor, Luther Yount, and his granddaughter Callie.

Side note: I've learned more about the state of Maine by reading mysteries!

There you have it-- four more books that I read over the summer. When will I catch up? Your guess is as good as mine!

Have you read any of these? Which ones? What did you think? Did I tempt you with any of them? Inquiring minds would love to know!