Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #541: I Bet You’d Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From the publisher:

Your favourite anti-heroine, Kitty Collins, is back! Expect more wit, sass, and, of course, murder…

My name is Kitty Collins and I’m a serial killer.

I don’t want to kill. It’s just so hard to resist. Some men really, really deserve it.

Men like Blaze Bundy, an anonymous influencer spreading misogyny online. He’s making it very hard for me to control my murderous urges.

Meanwhile I’m in the South of France to watch my mother marry a man I’ve never met. I should be drinking cocktails and focusing on my tan, not plotting a murder.

But a woman’s work is never done. Surely one more teensy little kill wouldn’t hurt, would it?

Darkly hilarious… Come for the sharp-tongue prose and pitch-black comedy, stay for the careful dismantling of toxic masculinity' Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

I Bet You'd Look Good in a Coffin by Katy Brent is due out June 10th, 2025 from Harper 360.

Why am I waiting on this book? It's different from most of the other mysteries I've read. A female serial killer story told with dark humor sounds interesting. I want to know more about what motivates her. And I look forward to the humor in the book, even if it is dark humor.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #540: The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From the publisher: In this laugh-out-loud murder mystery, three women dating the same man band together to get revenge, but when they discover his body, they'll need to solve his murder before they go down for it.

The body in the closet was going to be a problem. Kathryn Hu knew it. Yes, Tucker Jones was a cheating scumbag, and yes, she’d agreed to meet Olivia and Elle—Tucker’s other girlfriends—to exact revenge for all he’d put them through… But then they found him. Dead.  

Do they look guilty? Yes.

Do they feel guilty for having wished him dead just hours before? Maybe a little.

But—solid motive and a crime scene covered in their DNA aside—they’re innocent. They swear.

To clear their names, Kat, Olivia, and Elle team up to find the real killer. But as they go undercover and lie to everyone, including the hot detective working the case, they realize that every person in their ex's life had a reason to want him dead. Will they uncover the truth before they go down for a murder they didn't commit?

Filled with humor and shenanigans, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is a romp of an adventure by award-winning author Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Dial A for Aunties, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and John Tucker Must Die.

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao is expected out June 24, 2025 from MIRA.

Why am I waiting on this book? It sounds like it will be a fun read. I loved both Dial A for Aunties and Finlay Donovan Is Killing it. This book is suggested for fans of those two books. I think there's a high probability I will enjoy it. I want to know what happens to these ladies and how they go about solving the mystery.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce

 

From the publisher:

A murderess becomes the guardian of two very unusual girls in this mesmerizing gothic novel from acclaimed author Camilla Bruce.

Clara Woods is a killer—and perfectly fine with it, too. So what if she takes a couple of lives to make her own a little bit better? At the bottom of her garden is a flower bed, long overgrown, where her late husband rests in peace—or so she’s always thought.

Then the girls arrive.

Lily and Violet are her nieces, recently orphaned after their affluent parents died on an ill-fated anniversary trip. In accordance with their parents’ will, the sisters are to go to their closest relative—who happens to be Clara. Despite having no interest in children, Clara agrees to take them, hoping to get her hands on some of the girls’ assets—not only to bolster her dwindling fortune but also to establish what she hopes will be her legacy: a line of diamond jewelry.

There’s only one problem. Violet can see the dead man at the bottom of the garden. She can see all of Clara’s ghosts . . . and call them back into existence. Soon Clara is plagued by her victims and at war with the gifted girls in her care. Lily and Violet have become a liability—and they know far more than they should.

My thoughts: I enjoyed the book. I felt like there was a lot to like about the story. It's definitely a gothic tale from the moment that Aunt Clara appears. We don't see who is haunting Clara though until the girls appear on the scene. And not too long after that, it's a question of if the ghosts are only going to haunt Clara or if they will go after the girls and the housekeeper as well.

The setting of the spooky house is classic gothic. The patchy front steps, the smallish rooms that the girls inhabit, the taxidermied animals at every turn all work together to make it a gothic setting.

The chapters are told from the differing perspectives of Clara, Violet (the youngest), and Lily (Violet's slightly older sister.) Early on, some of the scariest material comes from Violet's perspective since she is the only one who can see the dead at that point. It's not that long afterwards that they can all see the ghosts who seem to take a particular delight in haunting Clara.

Clara is a horrifying human being. A murderess who has come into guardianship of her nieces with hopes to get her mitts on their money. The longer the book goes on, the more horrifying she becomes. If this were fairy tale, she would easily be the wicked witch or the evil stepmother.

Generally speaking, this is an enjoyable, horrifying, gothic story. I was surprised that Violet had little fear of the ghosts after their conversion. And there is a little bit of a lull mid book when Aunt Clara takes the girls on a road trip. The lull doesn't last long though. And sets in motion the last part of the book.

Overall I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I really liked this gothic tale. If you enjoy gothic literature, this would be a good book for you. This is the first book I've read by Camilla Bruce, but it won't be my last.

At the Bottom of the Garden by Camilla Bruce was released Tuesday January 28th, 2025 from Del Rey.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion.

Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #539: Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman

 

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlighted upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with Can't Wait Wednesday hosted over at Wishful Endings. 

From the publisher: Highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Laura Lippman returns with an irresistible mystery featuring Muriel Blossom, a former private investigator and middle-aged widow whose vacation on a Parisian river cruise turns into a deadly international mystery…that only she can solve. 

Mrs. Blossom has a knack for blending into the background, which was an asset during her days assisting private investigator Tess Monaghan. But when she finds a winning lottery ticket in a parking lot, everything changes. She is determined to see the world that she sometimes feels is passing her by.

When Mrs. Blossom booked her cruise through France on the MS Solitaire, she did not expect to meet Allan on her transatlantic flight. He is the first man who’s sparked something inside her since her beloved husband passed.

She also didn’t expect Allan to be found, dead, twenty-four hours later in Paris, a city he wasn’t supposed to be in.

Now Mrs. Blossom doesn’t know who to trust on board the ship, especially when a mystifying man, Danny, keeps popping up around every corner, always present when things go awry. He is convinced that Allan was transporting a stolen piece of art, and Mrs. Blossom knows more than she lets on, regarding both the artifact and Allan’s death.

Mrs. Blossom’s questions only increase as the cruise sails down the Seine. Why does it feel like she is being followed? Who was Allan, and why was he killed? Most alarmingly, why do these mysterious men keep flirting with her?

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman is expected out June 17th, 2025 from William Morrow.

Why am I waiting on this book? I like that the protagonist is an older woman. I've read short fiction by Laura Lippman, but no novels yet. I enjoyed what I've read by her. It sounds like there is potential for some humorous moments with the mention of her wondering why mysterious men are flirting with her. I want to know what happens to her and how she is able to solve the mystery.

What book are you waiting on? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Busybodies Collection

 

From the publisher: 

Every nosy neighbor, gossipy friend, and meddling relative is just one good mystery away from becoming a detective. From behind locked doors or out in broad daylight, driven by chance or curiosity, amateur sleuths get in over their heads in these six hair-raising, hilarious stories.

The Busybodies Collection became available October 15, 2024 from Amazon Original Stories.

There are 6 stories in the collection by various authors: Staged by Elle Cosimano, The Reunion Dinner by Jesse Q. Sutanto, Crime of Fashion by Emma Rosenblum, The Nosy Neighbor by Nita Prose, One Lucky Subscriber by Kellye Garrett, and A Classic Case by Alicia Thompson. Each mystery features a character that could be seen in some light as a busybody. 

All of the stories in the collection were good. I did have my favorites though. In particular I enjoyed the stories by Elle Cosimano, Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Nita Prose. To be fair, Elle Cosimano and Jesse Q. Sutanto were already among my favorite authors. But, this was the first time I'd read stories by the other authors. 

What I liked about all of the stories was that they were good mysteries with twists and some humor. Regarding the humor, there was more in some than others. When considering the twists, two stories stood out the most for me. They were the stories by Jesse Q. Sutanto and the one by Nita Prose. 

I gave this collection 5 out of 5 stars. I liked all of the stories in the collection, which is unusual. Usually it's hit or miss. I would recommend this collection to people who enjoy well-written short mysteries with twists and humor.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my review.

Book Review: The Wind on Her Tongue by Anita Kopacz

 

From the publisher:

In this lyrical and stirring companion to the “spellbinding” (Harper’s Bazaar) Shallow Waters, Oya—the Yoruban deity of the weather—is brought to life during 1870s America. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Black Sun.

Born in Cuba after her mother Yemaya’s adventures in the New World, Oya has inherited otherworldly powers from her Yoruba Orisha lineage. While Yemaya is known for her healing abilities, Oya’s influence over the storm proves to be destructive, posing a threat to her mother and the island’s safety.

Sent to New Orleans to study under Marie Laveau, the Queen of Voodoo, Oya begins a journey across the still young America, encountering a myriad of historical figures, including Mary Ellen Pleasant, Jesse James, Lew Hing, and more.

As Oya navigates the landscapes of racism, colorism, and classism, she grapples with her own identity and powers, striving to find her place in a fraught and complex society. A moving, vivid exploration of resilience, heritage, and the enduring spirit of a young woman coming into her own, The Wind on Her Tongue transports you to a world where magic and reality intertwine.

The Wind on Her Tongue by Anita Kopacz was published January 21, 2025 by Atria/Black Privilege Publishing.

My Thoughts:

It's an interesting story. Oya needs to learn how to control her great gift. Marie Laveau guides her with help from a set of twins. And then she is drawn to make a cross country journey.

I liked the book, but I liked the first part where Oya was in New Orleans better than the latter part of the book. It seemed richer in description. Later on, it felt more superficial to me. The story in San Francisco didn't seem as well described as the part in New Orleans until close to the end.

Otherwise, it was interesting to see how Oya learned to control her gift and what she could do with it once it was under control. Told from Oya's point of view, the voice was like a whisper in your ear for much of the book. It was as if she was telling you the story over a cup of tea. And it was interesting to get some of the bits about her mother. I didn't read the first book, but this seems to work as a standalone and also as a continuation. And, I felt the ending was a little abrupt. It came at a logical point in the story, but just seemed to come quickly. I suppose it paves the way for either more about her in another book or sets up the next book to be about the next generation.

I gave this book 4 stars. I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy magical realism stories. And I would also recommend it to people who like their magic to occur in historical settings. 

Have you read it? What did you think? Drop a line in the comments and share your thoughts with us.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not influence my review. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.