Murder at Hazelmoor - Classic Mystery Review

 Goodreads: Murder at Hazelmoor (also published as The Sittaford Mystery) by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:  M-U-R-D-E-R. It began as an innocent parlor game intended to while away the hours on a bitter winter night. But the message that appeared before the amateur occultists snowbound at the Sittaford House was spelled out as loud and clear as a scream. Of course, the notion that they had foretold doom was pure bunk. Wasn't it? And the discovery of a corpse was pure coincidence. Wasn't it? If they're to discover the answer to this baffling murder, perhaps they should play again. But a journey into the spirit world could prove terribly dangerous—especially when the killer is lurking in this one.

Genre:  Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book: This was the December pick for the 2025 Read Christie Challenge  

My Impression:  This is an interesting mystery with what seems to be an impossible murder.  A suspect is almost immediately arrested and charged but Emily, his fiancé, is convinced they have it wrong and with the help of a reporter, Charles, is determined to figure it out.  

While the murder is unique the setup for the investigation is one Christie uses occasionally - the scrappy girl investigator determined to prove someone innocent.  It's a fun one and this was a good mix of the old and the new - old Army colonels in a small English village and young bright independent people.  Throw in a blizzard, an escaped convict, and some seriously sketchy house guests and it makes for a solid enjoyable mystery. 

Side note - the Miss Marple episode featuring Geraldine McEwan under this title is completely bonkers and bears only the slightest resemblance to the book.  It does make for a fun watch though.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I've already started the Read Christie Challenge for 2026

Would I Recommend this Book? Yes, definitely.  This is what I consider one of the mid-range mysteries.  It's not the most memorable but it's a solid read.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews For Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  The Seventh Sinner by Elizabeth Peters - This is the first book in the Jacqueline Kirby series and I enjoyed it.  Jacqueline is a fun character who always manages to surprise the reader.  There's also an interesting cast of characters with a group of students from all of the world studying in Italy.  This isn't the most memorable read but it is a lot of fun and the audio is a good one.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  Someone to Care by Mary Balogh - This is the 4th book in the Westcott series and focuses on the former Countess of Riverdale, Viola.  After the death of her husband the very proper Viola discovers that her husband was in fact not her husband and her children were illegitimate.  Everything she thought was real was a lie and she and her children are desperately trying to figure out their new futures.  I really enjoyed that this was a bit of a second chance romance with two older characters (she is 42, he is 39) who have some life experience.  While this is a romance and does focus on that there is also a lot of Viola trying to navigate her new life with her family and coming to terms with her feelings.  I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more of this series.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

3.  The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst - I read and absolutely loved the previous book in this series so I was so excited to pick this one up and was not disappointed.  This is a lovely story with lovely people and stunning sounding greenhouses.  Terlu was mentioned in the first book so I was thrilled to see her getting her own story.  She's such a sweet natured person and I loved her relationship with Yarrow and all the sentient plants as well as her increasing drive to save the greenhouse.  This is a fairly quiet story with lots of discussions, trial and error spellcasting, and exploring the greenhouses but I never felt like the story lagged.  The audio is wonderful and I highly recommend going that route if you are interested in this one.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

4.  The Murders of Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Beale by Jill McGown - This police procedural was published in the early 90s so there's a lack of reliance on cell phones and internet which makes for an interesting investigation.  Unfortunately, I didn't love this one.  The mystery is good and the connections are interesting with an interesting twist in the conclusion.  Unfortunately, I really didn't like any of the characters - especially the lead investigators - and the writing style just didn't work for me.  It felt so mired in details that I often missed big reveals.  By the end this was probably because I really didn't care.  This is the 4th in a series so it's possible I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the characters better but by the end of this book I didn't really want to know the characters better so I think I'm one and done with this series.  My Rating:  Just Okay (2 Stars)

5.  The Midnight Library by Matt Haig - I almost didn't read this one as the premise didn't appeal to me at all but then I saw some good reviews from people who have similar reading tastes so I added it to my Audio TBR jar - and then the jar told me it was time to read it.  I almost DNF'd it in at around 10% as I didn't care for Nora and I just didn't see how this premise was going to work but decided to keep going with it and pretty soon after I was absolutely hooked.  This is a unique premise beautifully executed with a main character who doesn't feel like anything is going right in her life.  As she spends time with in the Midnight Library and with all the different versions of herself she finds herself realizing what really matters in a way that is true to her.  I was surprised with how much I enjoyed this and I'm pleased to see there's a second book coming out in May.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Letters From Paris

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Letters From Paris by Juliet Blackwell

Blurb:  After surviving the accident that took her mother’s life, Claire Broussard has worked hard to escape her small Louisiana hometown. But these days she feels something is lacking. Abruptly leaving her lucrative job in Chicago, Claire returns home to care for her ailing grandmother. There, she unearths a beautiful piece of artwork that her great-grandfather sent home from Paris after World War II.
At her grandmother’s urging, Claire travels to Paris to track down the century-old mask-making atelier where the object, known only as “L’Inconnue”—or The Unknown Woman—was created. Under the watchful eye of a surly mask-maker, Claire discovers a cache of letters that offers insight into the life of the Belle Epoque woman immortalized in the work of art. As Claire explores the unknown woman’s tragic fate, she begins to unravel deeply buried secrets in her own life.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I really enjoy this author's standalones (and her cozy mysteries for that matter) and this one is really appealing to me right now.

Great Big Beautiful Life - Contemporary Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Rating:  Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Library

Description:  Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years--or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad… depending on who’s telling it.

Genre:  Fiction - Contemporary/Women's

Why I Picked This Book:  I really disliked one Emily Henry book (Happy Place) and really enjoyed another one (Funny Story) so I wanted a tie breaker and this one looked interesting.

My Impression:  This seems to be a love it or hate it book and I'm firmly on the love it side of things.  One caveat is that I listened to the audio which was read by Julia Whelan who is amazing but she also read Happy Place which I DNF'd so I don't think that influences my opinions too much.

This is the story of Margaret Ives as she narrates it to Alice Scott who is her potential biographer.  It's also the story of Alice and other potential biographer Hayden Anderson which is a very classic grumpy/Sunshine romance that focuses much more on the two characters getting to know each other than it does on spice.  This is very much my preference but if you're looking for all romance all the time you might be disappointed.  I was hooked on both the Alice/Hayden plot and the Margaret story and really enjoyed them both equally.  I really loved Alice who gets to know herself a bit more as she gets to know Hayden and Margaret more.  

One of the big complaints I saw on Goodreads was that it's too similar to The Seven Husbands of Eveyln Hugo by Tayor Jenkins Reid.  I've read that and really didn't find this to be the case.  The setup is similar with an older celebrity narrating a story to a younger biographer, but the two women have very different voices and very different stories.  Just because they're older women who are from Hollywood (adjacent in Margaret's case) doesn't mean they have the same story.  

This is a story with heart with characters who were maddening occasionally but were always characters I wanted to spend time with.  If you're going in just looking for a romance (or a mystery which for whatever reason this kind of got marketed as being) this might not be what you're looking for but if you're looking for a story about the relationship between people, I think you'll enjoy it. 

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes definitely!  I very much enjoyed this one and while I know not every book by this author will work for me, I'm looking forward to reading more from her.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes but with reservations.  This book doesn't seem to be for everyone and has gotten some fairly polarizing reviews but if your reading taste is at all similar to mine I think you'll enjoy it.

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Romances on My TBR

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is a Love/Valentine's Freebie.  I'm kind of going the easy route and picking ten romances off my TBR.

1.  The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews - This is technically a reread but I read this before I realized it was part of a series and remember nothing about it.  I really liked the first book and want to revisit the characters in the second book. 

2.  Animal Attraction by Jill Shalvis - This is the second book in the Animal Magnetism series set around an animal rescue/vet clinic in Idaho.  I'm looking forward to reading more from the characters.

3.  Snow Kissed by RaeAnne Thayne - I love Thayne's Christmas stories and this looks like a wonderful one.

4.  Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura - I do love an adventure story and that mixed in with a romance sounds fun.

5. Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage - I've heard good things about this series and I picked up the first one on audio.

6.  Flawless by Heather Graham - I love a good romantic suspense and Heather Graham writes some of my favorites.  

7.  Housebroke by Jaci Burton - I know nothing about this one but it looks fun.

8.  Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young - I've heard good things about this one and I really like that it's about a married couple reconnecting.

9.  The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George - I've heard good things about this author and I've been in the mood for historical romances.

10. Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke - I've read and loved a couple of previous books by this author (and DNF'd a few as well) and this one looks good.

Do you have any romances on your TBR?

Reading What I Love - We'll Prescribe You a Cat

The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read.  There's no real rhyme or reason.  I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me.  My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.

Goodreads:  We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida

Blurb:  Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.
Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.

Why I think I'll love this one:  I have really enjoyed the Japanese cozy fiction I've read and the premise and cover of this one made me smile.

My Thoughts:  So the premise is fairly simple - a group of people who are dissatisfied by some aspect of their life one by one come to an out of the way mental health clinic.  There they are met by a cranky nurse, an unusual doctor and given a cat.  The results are interesting and at times unexpected and the cats are effective in different ways.   What made this book stand out from the other books I've read in this genre is the clinic itself.  There's something unusual about it and that takes a bit of time to get revealed.  This is a good slow pace read - one story at a time.  I enjoyed it and found it a calming and entertaining read.  I'm planning on picking up the next book in the series to see just what happens next.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

This Week in Reading - February 8

 

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

The Moonsingers by Robin J. Pritzker - The cover caught my eye and I have been loving cozy fantasy.  (Publisher)

The Pie & Mash Detective Agency by J.D. Brinkworth - This sounds like a really fun cozy mystery (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly and The Belle of Belgrave Square by Mimi Matthews

Listening:  The Spitfire Murders by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley

Slow Read: Stella Mia by Rosanna Chiofalo

Watching:  We are on countdown to Formula 1 starting back up so that will soon take over the bulk of our TV watching but until then we are watching Death in Pardise which we really enjoy though we only have a couple of seasons left.  

I had migraines most of the week which made for not much happening and now has me feeling pretty wiped out.  I'm able to at least get some reading done now which is good. I did take some of the downtime to make a list of places I want to visit or things I want to learn how to do this year so I'm looking forward to getting started on that.

Have a good week and happy reading!

My First Reading Recap of 2026 - My January Reading

Monthly Reading Total: 20 - I was really enjoying my reading in January - especially when it came to my print books.

Type:

Print: 8

Ebook:  6

Audio: 6

Genre:

Mystery - 12

Fiction - 4

Romance - 4

Favorite Books of the Month:

The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst and The Midnight Library by Matt Haig tied for my favorite audiobooks

Monster in the Moonlight by Annelise Ryan was probably the book I physically read that I most enjoyed (that wasn't a reread)

Rereads:  

I'm trying to make sure I get some rereads in this year as I always enjoy it and I was in the habit of not letting myself pick up some old favorites.  Here is what I reread in January:

Stars of Fortune by Nora Roberts - Did not disappoint.  I always love when a group of characters are putting together a team and I'm not sure anyone does it better than Roberts.

The House on Blackberry Hill by Donna Alward - Meh.  It didn't live up to my memory of it.  Love the concept but didn't enjoy spending time with characters.

The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie - I'm not sure anytime I read Christie counts as a reread as I'm pretty sure I notice something different.  It goes without saying that this was a delight.

This Month's Armchair Travels:

Domestic Travel:  I visited California (twice), Idaho, Illinois, Wisconsin, Maine, and Michigan.

International Travel:  I visited England 7 times, 1940s Bahamas, Japan, Scotland, Greece, and 1960s Lebanon

How was your January reading?   Where did your books take you this past month?

Friday Fives - February TBR

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. Since this is the first Friday in February, I'm planning my January TBR.  Here are 5 books I plan on reading in February. 

1.  The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly - I'm really looking forward to reading this first book in a series set in a Welsh village.  I've really enjoyed her Scottish series.

2.  The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne - I'm really looking forward to this one!  I typically really enjoy this author's books and the premise really grabs me for this one.

3.  Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist by Dorothy Gilman - I've been stalling on reading the last two Mrs. Pollifax books for awhile because I didn't want the series to be over but it's time to get reading!

4.  This Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong - It's been a year since I read the previous book in this suspense series and I'm really looking forward to reading more though I hopefully I read more than one book in the series this year!

5.  The Legend in Green Velvet by Elizabeth Peters - This is one of the few books remaining on my Wishlist in the Audible Plus catalog.  I'm trying to get them all finished by the end of the month so I can cancel my subscription.

Read Christie February Book:  Mrs. McGinty's Dead - It's been awhile since I read this one but it's the favorite of so many so I'm looking forward to the reread.

What are you planning to read in February?

Books from the Backlog - The Vanished Bride

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Vanished Bride by Bella Ellis

Blurb:  Yorkshire, 1845. A young wife and mother has gone missing from her home, leaving behind two small children and a large pool of blood. Just a few miles away, a humble parson's daughters--the Brontë sisters--learn of the crime. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë are horrified and intrigued by the mysterious disappearance.
These three creative, energetic, and resourceful women quickly realize that they have all the skills required to make for excellent "lady detectors." Not yet published novelists, they have well-honed imaginations and are expert readers. And, as Charlotte remarks, "detecting is reading between the lines--it's seeing what is not there."

As they investigate, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne are confronted with a society that believes a woman's place is in the home, not scouring the countryside looking for clues. But nothing will stop the sisters from discovering what happened to the vanished bride, even as they find their own lives are in great peril...

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  This has been on my review shelf for far too many years and the premise is interesting.  I'm trying to clear some books off that overdue review shelf!

What I'm Reading - February 4

I always have a few books going.  Here is what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about them.

Ebook

The Whisking Hour by Ellie Alexander - This is the 22nd in the Bakeshop Mystery and as always I'm enjoying it.  It's maybe not a standout cozy series to me anymore but it is delightfully cozy.  Perfect comfort reading for the weather we've got going on right now!

Print Book

The Blind Side by Patricia Wentworth - This is a very traditional Patricia Wentworth mystery.  There's a family with some serious issues, a plucky heroine and a nice but capable leading man.  This is apparently the first Ernest Lamb book (he's a Scotland Yard detective) but I'm only 25% in so he hasn't shown up yet.

Audio Book

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry - I was a bit hesitant going into this as I'm a bit iffy with this author in general (I've loved 1 book by her and DNF'd another) and the reviews have been decidedly mixed.  I decided to give it a try after I saw a review from someone I follow who loved the book I DNF'd and didn't like this one.  So far I'm really enjoying it.  I'm about 25% in so it could go off the rails but 

Slow Read:  

Stella Mia by Rosanna Chiofalo - I pulled this off my overdue review shelf (and it is WAY overdue as it looks like it came out in 2014).  I'm not very far into it but so far I think it has potential.  

What are you reading today?

Top Ten Tuesday - Books on My TBR with Interesting Typography on Their Covers

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Book Covers Featuring Cool/Pretty/Unique Typography.  I did a deep dive in my TBR and here are 10 covers that stood out.

1.  The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sacher

2.  Five Found Dead by Sulari Gentill

3.  The Killer Question by Janice Hallet

4.  The Haunting of Paynes Hollow by Kelley Armstrong

5.  The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore

6.  The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

7.  I See You've Called In Dead by John Kenney

8.  Rules for Ruin by Mimi Mathews

9.  The Lost Books of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne

10. The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay

Overdue Reviews - Hardcastle's Quartet + Brought to Book

 

Goodreads:  Hardcastle's Quartet by Graham Ison

Blurb:  Accident . . . or murder? Detective Inspector Hardcastle’s seemingly simple investigation turns more complicated, in his latest case
June 1918. A patrolling constable discovers the body of Georgina Cheney, wife of a naval commander, in the basement area of a house in Westminster. At first it is thought to be suicide or even a tragic accident. But as Divisional Detective Inspector Ernest Hardcastle of the A or Whitehall Division of the Metropolitan Police begins to investigate – ably assisted by Detective Sergeant Charles Marriott – they soon discover a different story. It is clear that the woman was murdered, and revelations about the victim’s previous life in Malta arouse Hardcastle’s interest.

But things are destined to get even more complicated for Hardcastle, when he is assigned two further murder cases by Detective Chief Inspector Frederick Wensley, head of the CID at New Scotland Yard. Could they be connected? This may be a puzzle too tricky even for Hardcastle to solve . . .

My Thoughts:  This mystery was really a delightful surprise.  This is a nice straightforward police procedural set during World War I.  There's no real angst or heavy emotion - just curmudgeonly DDI Hardcastle, his hardworking staff, and a complex and entertaining mystery.  I loved the dynamic between all the characters and seeing them unravel the complicated threads of the mystery.  This is definitely a series I'd really like to read more of and will definitely be on the lookout for more books in this series and by this author while I'm book shopping.  My Rating: Really Liked It! (4.25 Stars)

Goodreads:  Brought to Book by Anthea Fraser

Blurb:  Mystery and intrigue with a decidedly literary bent, from the bestselling crime writer When successful biographer Rona Parish is asked to write the life-story of a bestselling author, recently deceased, she is intrigued - to say the least. After all, Theo Harvey led a very colourful life, and died in mysterious circumstances. But Rona's husband Max is wary and, it soon becomes apparent, with good reason...As Rona begins to delve into Theo Harvey's life and death, and to interview his friends and family - some more willing than others - she realises that she has taken on a poisoned chalice.

My Thoughts:  This is the first book in the Rona Parish series and focuses on her doing the setup for a biography of a polarizing recently deceased author -and it's apparently a book someone doesn't want to see published.  I liked Rona and thought her relationship with her husband was interesting.  I did guess a pretty big part of the setup but there were some surprising twists.  My main issue with the book was that I couldn't stand Rona's twin sister Lindsey and she got way more page time than I would have liked.  She's really just a truly awful person and I inwardly groaned every time she appeared on the page.  The pacing was a little slow as well.  The mystery is solid with some good twists but I'm not sure that I'm motivated to read more in the series.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)