reecaspieces

Overview

From the internationally bestselling author of The Nanny and What She Knew comes a thrilling dark academic tale of murder, obsession and ruthless ambition, set in remote St Andrews, Scotland.

A deadly rivalry.

A chilling secret.

One woman who can decipher the truth.

On a frigid, windswept day in Scotland’s Western Isles, Eleanor Bruton’s body is discovered on the shore. To her family Eleanor was an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did flower arrangements and plumped kneeler cushions at church. Little did they know she was harboring a dark and all-consuming secret. A scrap of fraying embroidery that seems worthless at first glance.

For over a century, two rival organizations of women have gone to deadly lengths to secure the valuable artifact in the hopes of finding the original medieval manuscript from which it was torn. The Order of St. Katherine: devoted to the belief that women must pull strings in the shadows to exercise control. And the Fellowship of the Larks, determined to amass as many overt positions of power for women as possible…so long as their methods of doing so never come to light.

When Dr. Anya Brown garners international attention for her translation of the cryptic Folio 9, she is handpicked by Diana Cornish, a professor and high-ranking member of the Fellowship, to join the exclusive Institute of Manuscript Studies in St. Andrews. Unbeknownst to Anya she’s been recruited at great personal danger to translate ancient texts that the Fellowship believes critical to their mission. 

Meanwhile at Scotland Yard, Detective Constable Clio Spicer begins a private investigation into the death of Eleanor Bruton.

As all the women grow further entangled in this ancient web, circumstances spin wildly out of control and their lives may be in grave danger.

Perfect for fans of Alex Michaelides and Ruth Ware, The Burning Library is the story of a centuries-old secret set to divide and consume those who seek to unearth it.

Review

On a frigid, windswept day in Scotland’s Western Isles, Eleanor Bruton’s body is discovered on the shore. To her family Eleanor was an ordinary middle-aged woman. She did flower arrangements and plumped kneeler cushions at church. Little did they know she was harboring a dark and all-consuming secret. A scrap of fraying embroidery that seems worthless at first glance.

There are quite a few things I really enjoyed about this story. I LOVED the setting of St Andrews. We were there a few years ago and I knew the landmarks the author talked about (this always makes a book seem more real!) I also loved the characters and the history thrown into the mix. The hunt for the embroidery and all the manuscripts had me researching. This really kept me guessing on which way this story was going to turn!

That being said, I was not a big fan of the two rival organizations of women. This just did not seem to fit. I think there needed to be more historical development around these two factions. This might have made this part of the plot a bit more plausible.

But y’all, this story is full of drama and intensity! And let me tell you, this ending will just keep you reading faster and faster to find out what is about to happen.

Need a good, creepy tale with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Just as Margaret Atwoods’s Handmaid’s Tale prophesied a repressive dystopian future, Kim Dempster’s The Color of Mourning takes us on an intensely emotional journey into the very real world of today where women are confronted by fanatic religious fundamentalists in an existential fight for freedom.

Set in the war torn city of Raqqa during the Syrian civil war, Mourning is a story about love, loss, and the extraordinary strength women have when they are desperately fighting for their autonomy. Nooda, an intrepid journalist who is chronicling the harsh realities of the war, and her daughter Layal, a young woman who dreams of a better future, are repeatedly forced into excruciating situations as their family is torn apart.

Filled with raw emotion and vivid detail, Dempster’s Mourning is an unforgettable novel that pays tribute to the resilience of women and their enduring fight for justice.

Review

Set in the war torn city of Raqqa during the Syrian civil war. Nooda, an intrepid journalist who is chronicling the harsh realities of the war, and her daughter Layal, a young woman who dreams of a better future, are repeatedly forced into excruciating situations as their family is torn apart.

This book was more than I expected. It is about strong women in a world that represses them at every turn! These women are stripped of their basic rights. Not only are they at the mercy of religious zealots, they are surrounded by a civil war that tears their family apart!

What a unique read that will make your heart break in so many ways!

Need an emotional tale…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

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Overview

Bicycle-riding, aspiring archaeologist Marigold Manners is back and ready for adventure in Elizabeth Hobbs’s next mesmerizing historical mystery.

“A humdinger…whose characters bring to mind those of both Emily Brontë and L. M. Montgomery” (Kirkus), this second installment is perfect for fans of Deanna Rayborn.

1894, Boston. Penniless Boston heiress and accomplished modern woman Marigold Manners has put her past to good use, selling the story of the Great Misery Island Murders to earn enough money to resume the life she was always meant to have and return to her studies at Wellesley College. But her carefully laid plans for academic excellence are thrown into disarray when she stumbles across the body of a young woman in the campus lake. 

When the peace of the bucolic campus is shattered by the murder, the cloistered world of a women’s college that Marigold finds so comforting proves it is not immune to the malice and wickedness of the world. The closed community becomes a hothouse where disparagement blooms into insult and small slights that have festered for years blossom into academic rivalries that could spill over into something far more sinister. Marigold must use every ounce of her logic and enlist her eccentric, colorful cast of fellow students and found family to identify the girl and find the murderer—before they kill again.

Review

I loved the setting of 1894 Boston!

1894, Boston. Penniless Boston heiress and accomplished modern woman Marigold Manners has put her past to good use, selling the story of the Great Misery Island Murders to earn enough money to resume her life and return to her studies at Wellesley College. But her carefully laid plans for academic excellence are thrown into disarray when she stumbles across the body of a young woman in the campus lake. 

Marigold is a great character. I love how she notices different things than the average person. Of course, this is one of the reasons she is the best amateur sleuth! Plus, she fights for justice in more ways than one! She is also not made for this time period. She definitely clashes with the constraints of the 1894 woman where ever she can. I adored her!

This is a well written historical mystery novel that will keep you guessing. With all the twists and turns and betrayals…perfect read for a night by the fire!

Need a good whodunit with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Amazon

Bookbub