Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond

Happy Cozy Mystery Day! Aka Agatha Christie's Birthday!

(I should have actually reviewed a Christie novel today, but I'm still celebrating with a cozy mystery review - and I'm reading another cozy right now!)

Death in Castle Dark by Veronica Bond

Nora Blake thought she'd scored the ideal gig when she signed on with a murder-mystery troupe at the quirky yet mesmerizing Castle Shadows. Living in a fairy-tale-like castle, performing thrilling shows, and hanging out with a fun group of actors (plus a few cuddly kittens) all seemed like a dream come true, especially with free room and board thrown in.

But the magic of Castle Shadows hides something dark. During one of their early performances, what’s supposed to be a staged murder turns horrifyingly real when one of the cast members doesn’t get back up. He’s been murdered for real. Now, Nora’s caught in a chilling mystery off-stage, trying to figure out who among her fellow actors has gone from pretending to be a villain to actually becoming one—while making sure she’s not the next target.

I got this book recommendation from the Cozy Mystery Book Club (though I read it too late to participate). It’s the first book in a cozy mystery series (A Dinner and a Murder Mystery Series) but sadly there are only two books so far! I love the setting of a castle used for murder mystery dinners because it’s already engaging and spooky - then add in a real murder, and I’m hooked!

Walk Me to the Corner by Anneli Furmark

Walk Me to the Corner by Anneli Furmark

I'm in a novel workshop where five of us are writing young adult novels, workshopping them a chapter at a time. As often happens when you get writers together, the book recommendations fly faster than I can write them down!

One of the writers is revising a graphic novel. Interestingly, she only has the text, as she's not an artist. Still, the story and the way she laid it out is so visual - I can definitely imagine how amazing this would look as a finished book!

I mentioned that it made me think of Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Fun Home (and others) by Alison Bechdel, and she mentioned Walk Me to the Corner.

I requested it from the library without reading what it was about. Sometimes I like a hint of what's to come, especially with suspense books, cozy mysteries, and thrillers. But sometimes I like going in with no expectations - especially if someone personally recommended a book.

This book was really sparse; I found this appealing in a way because the reader can overlay their own emotions. Even with images, it was difficult to understand what each character was feeling deep down, which made me feel a bit disconnected from the story, though it was an interesting premise.

First Law of Holes by Meg Pokrass

First Law of Holes by Meg Pokrass

In First Law of Holes, Meg Pokrass showcases her flash fiction, micro fiction, and prose poems that feel like brief, almost voyeuristic peeks into the lives of strangers. Reading these stories seems like looking through apartment windows, catching small yet powerful moments in the characters’ worlds.

Read the full review here.