March Book Club: First Night by Ember Scott
Even though I write and read a lot of cozy mysteries where the villains are more “small-town scandal” than world-domination evil, my personal TV and reading tastes sometimes wander into darker territory.
Review
February Book Club: Dying to Go by Marcy Blesey
If you live in Illinois in the winter and someone offers you a trip to sunny Arizona, you say yes. Immediately. No questions asked.
That’s exactly what recently divorced Rosi Laruee thought she was doing — heading to Tucson Valley to “help” her parents after her dad’s knee surgery. Fresh air. Sunshine. A little reset on life.
December Book Club: Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Friends, I feel like the last mystery reader on Earth who hasn’t picked up The Thursday Murder Club until now. With the movie out (yes, it is a Netflix production) and every publisher using it as the comparison title for anything remotely cozy, quirky, or British, I figured it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about.
November Book Club: The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu
When I picked The Faculty Lounge for an October read-along, I hadn’t cracked the spine yet. I figured we’d all try a literary experiment together and see what happened. The verdict? Somewhere between “This is alarmingly accurate” and “Surely no real school is this dramatic… right?”
Talking Homecoming Homicide: Guest Posts & Review Highlights
Read more about Homecoming Homicide through a thoughtful review, a behind-the-scenes guest post about the parrot who stole the show, and an author interview that digs into my writing process and what’s next for Cassandra Sato.
September Book Club: Fixin’ to Die by Tonya Kappes
If you’ve ever lived in a small town or visited one long enough to have someone’s great-aunt judge your life choices, Fixin’ to Die will feel right at home.
August Book Club: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Every August, I like to slide something nostalgic into the mix. Something that feels like summer: muddy riverbanks, barefoot mischief, and that magical kind of childhood freedom that seems both charming and a little dangerous in hindsight.
July Book Club: The Case at Barton Manor by Emily Quee
The Case at Barton Manor has all the ingredients for a classic cozy mystery: a grand manor house, a murder at a fancy party, and a reluctant sleuth who’s way too good at investigating to stay in mourning forever.
June Book Club: A Corpse at the Castle by R.B. Marshall
Cozy mystery with horses, royalty, and a murder at Balmoral Castle. A Corpse at the Castle by R.B. Marshall is a fun series starter worth saddling up for.
May Book Club: The Mixed Bag Edition
Hello friends, I didn’t finish a single shiny new series book this month—probably because I’ve spent the first few months of the year juggling seven nonfiction titles, three ongoing mystery series, and surviving my IRL book club choosing Yellowface. So yeah, welcome to The Mixed Bag Edition, a look at what I’ve been reading so far in 2025. Want […]