The Housemaid Trilogy by Freida McFadden

I’ve been hearing a lot about Freida McFadden lately, so when someone recommended her Housemaid trilogy to me, I figured I'd give it a shot. I’ve seen people debate whether she "borrows" too much from other books, but honestly, I was coming out of a reading slump and needed something to pull me back in. And I have to admit, she did it.

The Housemaid
This one came at the perfect time. I needed a book that would grab my attention, and The Housemaid did just that. It’s the kind of psychological thriller that makes you keep turning the pages because you just have to know what happens next. I tore through it in a day or two, and honestly, it helped me rediscover my love for reading. Sure, there might be familiar plot elements that have shown up in other thrillers, but when you’re hooked, you’re hooked. It was a fun ride, with enough twists and tension to keep me fully engaged.

The Housemaid’s Secret
Going into the sequel, I had my reservations. Sequels are tricky—so many times they fall flat, especially after a strong first book. But The Housemaid’s Secret delivered more of that same addictive, page-turning energy. McFadden managed to keep the suspense high without feeling like she was just rehashing the first book. It was a solid follow-up, and while it didn’t have quite the same “lightning in a bottle” feeling as the first book, it kept me invested in the characters and story.

The Housemaid is Watching
Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. By the time I got to The Housemaid is Watching, the magic had faded a bit. I wanted to finish the trilogy and see how everything wrapped up, but this third book felt more like a slog. It didn’t have the same pacing or intensity as the first two, and while I was curious to see how the story would conclude, I found myself pushing through rather than eagerly devouring each page. It was still worth finishing for the sake of completion, but it just wasn’t on the same level as the others.

Overall, McFadden’s Housemaid trilogy pulled me out of my reading slump. Even if the third book didn’t quite live up to the first two, I don’t regret diving into this series. If you’re into fast-paced thrillers that are easy to get lost in, it’s definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared for the final installment to feel a little less exciting than the others. I'll also mention that I tried to read another standalone title by her (Never Lie) but the twist made me swiftly move it to the "trying too hard"/unreliable (and poorly done) narrator camp.

Charlotte Illes Is Not A Detective by Katie Siegel

Charlotte Illes Is Not A Detective by Katie Siegel

I started this book thinking it was by Katey Sagal for some reason?! It's not, but I still enjoyed it.

I was hooked with the initial premise of a child detective grown up. I loved Encyclopedia Brown and other detectives and spies when I was younger, so I thought this would give the same satisfaction.

While I did finish the book - and feel compelled to finish it based on the story - I don't think the case was enough to carry this long of a novel. Though I also thought the book was too long - lots of filler conversations between the friends and brother that felt either pointless or like an info dump. So maybe a shorter book to solve this case, or a different/more cases for a book this length? The second book is already in the works so it'll be interesting to see how that one is. Honestly, if the case as it was first presented (with the notes) carried throughout the book, I think it would have been a lot better. I understand why that clue was handled as it was, but think the author could have easily done something else to still make that same point.

I don't watch the author's TikToks so I'm not sure how this character comes off on screen, but I thought she was pretty believable on the page. Overall, I liked the book enough to see what happens next, thanks to a nice (yet low stakes) cliffhanger.

The Finlay Donovan Series

 The Finlay Donovan Series by Elle Cosimano

I read Finlay Donovan is Killing It as a Kindle Unlimited book and was immediately hooked! The library had the second but not the third, even though it was out already, so I played the waiting game.

Actually... I kind of forgot about this series until someone mentioned the fourth book was out.

Fourth?! I wasn't sure how I had missed that, but I knew it was time to re-read the series and catch up. By that time, the library had the third book but not the fourth. Once I found out there was also a digital short story as "book" 3.5, I figured I'd just buy that and the fourth book on Kindle so I wouldn't be waiting forever to finish the series (to this point anyway).

The first book makes me think of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series... or at least the first few books, before it seemed like she was phoning it in. I do think Cosimano is a better writer though. 

When I initially read the second book, it felt like a placeholder (as many second books are!), but when I re-read it recently, I really enjoyed it! The third one seemed a bit out of place and the storyline was a bit confusing to me, but I liked that the stakes seemed higher than in the previous books. I also loved how Mrs. Haggerty played a more prominent role!

Vero's short story might be my absolute favorite from this world, funny enough, since it's the shortest. I just love the character and it seemed like a nice cozy mystery with the bank issue. I felt like her sorority issue wasn’t really fleshed out in the books, and even here it’s a bit thin so I hope it gets wrapped up later.

Book four was a lot of fun. While book three took Finlay and Vero away from their home turf with the police training, I think the trip to Atlantic City in book four seems more natural for them. And I especially loved that everyone came along! Again, it gave Stephanie Plum vibes with Finlay's mother filling Stephanie's grandmother's role, but I think it's just different enough to work. The corpses seemed like overkill (no pun intended) but the cliffhanger made it worth it - I can't wait to see what comes next!

Have you read this series? What did you think of it? Do you have any book recommendations that read like these?

The Maid + The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

The Maid and The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose are nice spins on cozy mysteries. Molly lives in a small apartment and loves to keep it clean. She also loves that aspect of her job and is satisfied with it, even though many people might not enjoy that type of work.

There's very little drama in Molly's life - or at least, what's there, like grieving her grandmother and crushing on a coworker, isn't dealt with in an emotional way as it might be in a more literary novel. The only drama is the murders that happen in the Regency Grand Hotel, where she works.

Of course, Molly is the one investigating both murders. That's the hallmark of a cozy mystery, along with other key characteristics that make this genre stand out.

Ironically, for me, the mysteries in these books weren't that compelling. In both reviews, I mention they were fairly slow reads for me. 

For The Maid, my review stated: "I like the premise of this book but it was really slow going. The ending, conversely, seemed rushed. Overall the story was great but I wish the pacing was more consistent."

For The Mystery Guest, I wrote: "Both this and its prequel, The Maid, read slow for me, but were enjoyable stories overall. Almost cozy mysteries since Molly seems so content with her job and space in life. As a ghostwriter by profession, the case in this one did interest me more. I’d definitely read more from the author."

Clearly, something about Molly's life kept me coming back. I like how cozy mysteries can feel like no-strings-attached reads. While I love getting attached to fictional characters, crying with them, and thinking of them long after I finish the book, sometimes it's nice to just... not have that level of attachment. So that's what made me read both of these books and what will push me to read more from this author/in this series.

What I liked most was how Molly was neurodivergent, most likely on the autism spectrum, but it was never explicitly stated. I like that the books aren't defined by having an autistic narrator. Plus, not knowing Molly's diagnosis, if she has one, feels more true to life.

If you like the niche of Molly being neurodivergent or the mysteries set in a hotel, you might like other cozy mysteries with diverse niches.

On the note of neurodivergence/autism/disabilities, I'll compile links and reviews to other books I've read that feature people with disabilities. Many are middle-grade and YA because my MLIS capstone project was collection development for a disabilities department. But there are adult novels out there, too, so I'll share a list Thursday.

Until then, please share your thoughts on The Maid and The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose in the comments!

Drew Leclair Middle Grade Mysteries

 

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been on a huge mystery kick lately. After reading a couple YA mysteries and mystery series, I found Drew Leclair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury as an ebook at the library and added it to my TBR list. There are currently two books in the series, and before I even started the first, I got an offer from Wunderkind PR to read the second! I love nothing more than reading sequels and series back to back, so I jumped at the chance.

In Drew Leclair Gets a Clue, true crime fanatic Drew (named for Nancy Drew) tackles a cyberbully that is embarrassing kids at her middle school. On top of wanting to solve the mystery, Drew also deals with her mother leaving the family for a new boyfriend---who just happens to have been the counselor at Drew's school! So she's dealing with that humiliation in her social life and also the devastation of her home life. Beyond that, Shrey, her best friend, is now romantically interested in her, and Drew just doesn't feel that way, for him or anyone. It's a lot to tackle, but Drew is 12, and that's the age when this type of problem seems to pile up.

In Drew Leclaire Crushes the Case, Drew now knows her two best friends will help her solve mysteries at school, so she has a good support system. However, her mom is swooping back into her life and messing it all up in the process, and her dad is starting to date, but hides it from Drew. Shrey has a girlfriend and Drew can't process her feelings about that development, especially because she realizes she also has feelings for someone in her friend group.

These middle-grade books seem ideal for all ages. While Drew and her friends are 12, in seventh grades, the parents are just active enough in the story to keep me interested, but not to the extent that they bog down the action for younger readers. Drew has unique relationships with both parents - her dad loves true crime and totally gets her, while her mom wants her to be something else and makes her feel abandoned. I think these are great dynamics to address in a middle-grade series.

Drew's friend group is incredibly diverse, with people of all skin tones and cultural backgrounds. Drew herself has chronic illnesses, and other characters in the books have differing abilities yet are completely accepted at school and in their social circles, which is refreshing. Above it all, Drew is bisexual and has gay and lesbian friends. There's no issue of LGBTQIA+ being acceptable in school or by parents, so I think this series is one that will empower younger children to embrace who they are, as well as those around them.

All of these elements work together to make a compelling cast of characters, but still - mysteries are the highlight of these books. Drew walks the readers through her detective process, including making notes about the case, eliminating suspects, and designing her famous crime boards. Author Katryn Bury is a true crime fanatic herself, which shows in the plotlines. I can't wait to read more in this series and see what mysteries Drew will solve next!

Truly Devious YA Mystery Series

 

I read Maureen Johnson's Little Blue Envelopes books back when they came out, so I knew her name but didn't seek out more of her books until I had a hankerin' for some mysteries. I love any type of mystery, but was on a cozy mystery kick, and wanted to see if that was a genre within YA or not. Thankfully, it is - and Maureen Johnson is amazing at it!

I first read the Shades of London series, which made me want to re-visit England and also reminded me of how obsessed I was with Jack the Ripper as a teenager. Aka the perfect series for me! I usually love books that have intense character development so I can feel like I'm living another life for a bit, but cozy mysteries don't really do that. However, with Shades of London, it was so well-written that I felt like I knew the characters well enough as-is.

The same is true with Truly Devious. The first three books take place at a boarding school, which is already enchanting enough to a former public school student. The fourth is at a spooky summer camp and the fifth is in London for a study abroad program, so basically this series had everything I dreamed of as a teenager. 

Some things I loved about this series was how I never really knew who was the culprit - though I had a good guess in the fourth book, The Box in the Woods. But not knowing never made me feel like I was kept in the dark throughout the story, as it sometimes does in suspense novels (looking at you, unreliable narrator in The Girl on the Train). Also, I used to hate reading series if I didn’t read them back to back because I’d forget so much of the action in the previous book, but Maureen Johnson adds recap sentences throughout the beginning of the book to remind readers, without being too heavy-handed about it or devoting a whole chapter to a recap. I mean, I did read these back to back, perhaps with an adult novel in between, but there was still just enough recap to remind you of the previous book. But you can also read them as standalones without missing anything.

I can't recommend this series - and everything else I've read by Maureen Johnson - enough. I was especially delighted by Your Guide to Not Getting Murdered in a Quaint English Village, which cracked me up with each page. I gave it as a gift and also recommended my mother gift it to a friend who loves mysteries, so it's only natural that I recommend it to you, too!

Have you read any of Maureen Johnson's books? If I enjoyed these so much, do you have any similar recommendations for me?