Recent reads

Happy New Year!

During the holidays, I had houseguests, so despite being able to do some reading, I wasn't able to do any reviewing at all. As a result, I'm going to post mini-reviews of the books I read over the past couple of weeks.

The Seventh Witch (Ophelia and Abby #7) by Shirley Damsgaard.*
I really enjoy this series, partly because, like the protagonist, I'm a librarian (though not psychic). In this book, Ophelia and her grandmother, Abby travel to North Carolina for Abby's Aunt Mary's 100th birthday celebration. Local witch Sharon decides that Ophelia and Abby are a threat to her, and tries to get rid of them. There's quite a bit more "woo-woo" in this book than in earlier ones, but it's not nightmare-inducing.

Thieves! A Vicky Hill Exclusive (Vicky Hill # 4) by Hannah Dennison.**
Driving home from a party late one night, Vicky comes upon the body of a woman facedown in a stream. Although stonewalled by the local police, Vicky is sure that the death is connected to a few other strange occurrences in Gipping-on-Plym, and resolves to find the link. The first Vicky Hill book I've read was interesting enough (Vicky has decided to leave her family profession of high-stakes burglary) that I plan to read the previous three titles in the series.

Buffalo West Wing (White House Chef #4) by Julie Hyzy.**
A new First Family in the White House means that Chef Ollie Paras has to make some adjustments to her routine. When she refuses to serve a mysterious box of chicken wings to the President's children, she's worried that her job might be in jeopardy. Ollie's tendency to notice things stands her in good stead, and although some of the events in this book are a little far-fetched, Hyzy pulls it off very well.

Stay Tuned for Murder (Talk Radio Mystery #3) by Mary Kennedy.**
Madame Chantel's guest appearances on Maggie's radio show are boosting the ratings incredibly, but Maggie is sure there is something fishy about the self-proclaimed oracle. Chantel's predictions are vague enough that they can refer to almost anything, but when a long-time resident of Cypress Grove is found killed after a seance, Maggie is certain that Chantel is involved somehow. Maggie, a psychologist who left a demanding New York career for a small-town radio show, is an engaging heroine. Again, I'm planning to track down earlier books in the series.

*FTC Full Disclosure: I purchased this book.
**FTC Full Disclosure: Many thanks to the publisher, who sent me a copy of the book for review purposes.