One Miss Step: A Judge Faces Career Disaster, Family Ruin, and Even Death

Juliana Brody, a judge on the Superior Court of Massachusetts, is relaxing at a conference having given a well received talk on the rules of evidence. She’s happy, but tired, relaxing with a drink when an attractive man joins her. Although she’s never done it before, she succumbs to temptation and sleeps with him thinking that no one will ever know.

Back home she’s presiding in a sexual harassment case that has received national attention. Unexpectedly, the man from the conference appears in her court room, although they’d agreed that they would never meet again. Juliana knows she’s made a big time mistake when he shows her a video of their encounter and tells her that it will be made public unless she agrees to rule in favor of the company in the sexual harassment case.

Her career, her family and even her life are in danger while she tries to decide how to handle the scandal that is brewing in her life.

If you enjoy legal thrillers, this is a fast paced one with good characters. The plot involves current legal issues like “me too” law suits and conspiracy by Russian oligarchs. As the plot evolves the issues entwine to give an exciting ending.

Juliana is a good female character. She’s done something uncharacteristic, and now she must rely on her strength to keep her life together and serve the cause of justice.

I received this book from Penguin Random House for this review.

A Regency Romance with Murder, Intrigue, and Love

An orphan, Sybil Delafield would like to know who she is. Having finished her schooling at an exclusive girl’s school paid for by an anonymous benefactor, she is on her way to Croft Towers to become the companion of Mrs. Chalcroft, an aged and very ill woman.

Her first intimation that her time at Croft Towers may be perilous occurs when the mail coach, on which she is a passenger, is robbed by highwaymen. Arriving bedraggled and cold at her destination, she is disconcerted to recognize her employer’s godson, Curtis Sinclair, as one of the robbers. The other members of the household are cold to her, except for Mrs Chalcroft who mysteriously visits her bedroom late at night to ask her to carry messages without letting the other members of the household know. Since Britain is a war with France, Sybil wonders if she is becoming involved in a treasonous enterprise.

This is a delightful Regency novel. In addition to romance, there is the murder of one of the coach passengers, the suggestion of treasonous activities, and a delicious romance that is building between Sybil and Sinclair, if she can trust him. The historical setting is accurate. However, I think it would have been helpful to give more historical background to make the spying clearer.

Croft Towers is both creepy and comforting. Sybil loves the elegant rooms and enjoys roaming the gardens and woods. However, trips to the unused tower reek of ghosts. I enjoyed the characters. Sinclair is a perfect Regency hero with a hint on mystery. Sybil is at times very silly engaging in activities that she knows will get her in trouble, but it makes the story filled with adventure.

If you enjoy Regency romance, this is a good one.

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for this review.

An Aristocratic English Schoolgirl is Caught up in WWI

Lady Mina Thretheway is bored with being at boarding school when the country is at war. Mina’s father has a high level position in the government, and her brother, Crispin has been in the military, although now he is missing.

Mina is worried when she receives a telegram from her father asking her to return home. However, getting away from school is a plus. On the train she meets a friend of her old friend Lord Andrew Graham. Lucas Mueller is an American who designs planes, but according to Andrew can’t fly them. Mina is captivated by him.

It soon becomes apparent that Lucas and Andrew are preparing for a secret mission. Mina is desperate to help, go along if possible, but she’s only a school girl, although one good at solving codes and well versed in languages. When Andrew meets with an accident, Mina sees her chance and takes it.

This young adult book describes the English countryside during the early days of WWI. It moves slowly, but the pace right for the time. I enjoyed Mina. She’s a captivating character, mature for her years who is bright and wants to be where the action is.

The end of the book is much faster paced than the beginning. It’s a welcome contrast to the rather slow start. If you enjoy romance with an authentic historical background, this is a good choice.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

An Authentic Civil War Romance

Lizzie Clouston is the governess at Carnton mansion in Franklin Tennessee. It’s been a lovely day. Lizzie and the children have enjoyed the mild weather, but that rapidly changes that night, November 30, 1864. The Federal army meets the Confederates in a pitched battle.

Carnton mansion is the only available place to bring the wounded. Lizzie is pressed into service as Dr. Phillips tends the wounded, often having to amputate a limb. Captain Roland Jones, a decorated Mississippi sharpshooter, is wounded in the leg and hand. He begs Lizzie to keep the doctor from taking his leg. Lizzie agrees to do her best and during his recovery, a romance blossoms in spite of her being promised to another, her lifelong friend Towny, who she likes but doesn’t love. 

This is an excellent, well-researched historical account of the battle of Franklin, Tennessee. The author used the resources of the historical Carnton mansion and the letters between Roland and Lizzie to create an authentic account of the battle and the feelings of people at that time. I loved the characters, the children were particularly delightful and the setting was perfectly described to provide a background for the story.

I was pleased that the author presented the characters realistically. They are Southerners, but they had divergent views on slavery and the Confederacy. It’s refreshing to read a novel that isn’t a polemic. I highly recommend it.

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers for this review.

A Cat Burglar Discovers a Triple Murder

Ellie Stowell may look like the girl-next-door, but she’s a cat burglar and very good at her profession. She’s been doing this for years so she knows how to case a neighborhood, select an empty house, find a way in, and quickly locate portable valuables like money and jewelry.

She selects a promising Bel-Air house. Thinking it’s empty, she proceeds to collect valuables until in the master bedroom she gets a nasty shock. Three naked and very dead bodies are spread out on the bed. Each with a bullet hole in the back of the head. This is bad enough, but there’s a video camera, and it’s still running. Now Ellie is the one being chased.

This is a rather pedestrian thriller. I loved the description of Ellie in the first chapters, but when the chase begins it devolves into a rather formulaic plot. The characters, including Ellie, are not well developed. They come across as flat stereotypes.

The story is told primarily in narrative. We get Ellie’s thoughts, but the lack of dialog is one reason the characters feel wooden. The pace is fast and there’s plenty of action, but if you’re looking for a book where you can connect with the characters, this isn’t it.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Romance and Murder with the Backdrop of Professional Football

David Cormack is an ex-football star, now a Harvard educated attorney. He does criminal defense. Isla Shayne is a celebrity attorney. When one of her clients, Trey Adams, an ex-football hero, is accused of killing his wife, Portia, she knows she needs a serious defense attorney. David is a perfect choice. He understands football, and he’s the best criminal defense attorney around.

The case is complicated because Trey is suffering from CTE a degenerative condition of the brain brought about by the severe head injuries suffered in football. David is almost afraid to take the case. One of his fears is that he too will develop CTE. However, he can’t let Trey down, and he’s tremendously attracted to Isla.

This is a romance and a mystery, but the underlying theme of CTE and how it destroys lives raises the novel above the normal romance or mystery novel. The destruction of Trey’s independence and David’s fear were potent motivators for the story.

Isla is one of my favorite female lawyer characters. She’s tough, but she doesn’t try to prove it. She’s willing to take help and be a team player. She’s also a soft, engaging woman. David is another good character. He’s tough and likes to demonstrate it, but his health concerns make him sympathetic and believable.

I recommend this book. It’s a good addition to the Courting Justice Series.

A Haunting Psychological Thriller

Jessica, a free-lance makeup artist, is trying to help her family and make ends meet. There’s never enough money, so when she hears one of her clients decide to dump an appointment to act as a participant in a psychological study where the pay is good, she decides to take her place. What can it hurt?

The study requires sitting at a computer screen answering questions. At first it’s easy, but as the study progresses, the questions become more and more personal. The further she goes into the study the more paranoia she experiences until her life starts to spiral out of control.

This book will keep you reading. It’s addictive. The story is told from two points of view, Jessica, and Dr. Schields, who runs the study. Through the questions and answers Dr. Schields begins to mold Jess. It is truly frightening. How do you break free from someone like that? How far will you go before you try?

Each tells her own story in the first person. I don’t always enjoy first person narratives when two characters are involved, but this works well. Jessica is likable. It’s easy to identify with her. Dr. Schields is creepy, but the character works well for the story.

The writing is clear. It pulls you into a world that is progressively more strange. At the end, you will be surprised at the twists that create a masterful ending.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers, this is a good one.

I received this book from St. Martin’s Press for this review.

A Gothic Mansion, Twins, and a Long Ago Death

Devastated by the death of her father, Seraphine Mayes finds a photo that starts her on a quest to find out what happened on the day she and her twin brother, Danny, were born, and her mother threw herself off the cliffs surrounding Summerbourne, the Gothic mansion on the coast where the twins grew up. The twins had a series of nannys, but not Laura, the nanny who cared for their older brother, Edwin, and ran away on the day their mother died. It's a time no one wants to talk about.

The atmosphere at Summerbourne is both enticing and creepy. You can understand why Seraphine loves the beauty, but feels the tension of underlying secrets. I enjoyed the descriptions of the old estate on the coast. For me, it made the story enjoyable.

The story is told from the alternating points of view of Laura, 1991, and Seraphine, 2017. Both settings were realistic although I preferred the Summerbourne of 1991 before the tragedy. The estate seemed somewhat dingy and sad in 2017.

The main characters are good. I found Seraphine’s grief a little overdone, but it drove her to solve the mystery of her birth. The secondary characters, Edwin and his friend Josh, are likable. They are a good foil for Seraphine’s distress.

If you enjoy romance and mystery with a Gothic undertone, this is a very enjoyable book.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.