Tag Archive: crime


Review: Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

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October 27, 2025

Bad MonkeyBad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I’m at 77% into this book. I have sped up the audio because I am bored with this book. I have read other Carl Hiaasen books, and I always feel like I want to quit. I wonder why I tried. This isn’t up my alley. The humor is not funny. Maybe my gender? My age? I just find it a bit vulgar and misogynistic. And I am sad to hear bad things about the Johnny Depp monkey from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. All of it may be true, but still… it is a monkey, ya know?

I’ll finish the book before I sleep tonight. If the last bit changes my opinion, I’ll come back and change the review. Obviously, others love this book —try it and see what you think. A plus was that Arte Johnson was the narrator.

Thankfully, I picked this up on Libby.

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Review: Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice by Robert Hilland

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September 30, 2025

Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and JusticeChasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent’s Search for Hope and Justice by Robert Hilland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Robert Hilland (Author, Narrator) and John Edward (Author, Narrator) told a frightening story. And it is a nonfiction. It isn’t a ‘who done it’ as they knew who. They just needed to catch the guy in a legal way to stop his serial murders.

I made the mistake of trying to read this at bedtime and found I couldn’t sleep. The book opens the imagination and sets you in the detective seat, trying to figure out what is happening and how to catch the guy in the act before more deaths.

If you are a skeptic, this book challenges you. I must admit to my share of “Come on! No, WAY!” but then I still believe there is energy out there. Ghosts? Angels? Who knows until we get to the other side? I can see this book becoming a movie.

I was lucky to find this audiobook on Libby.

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Review: The President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

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August 12, 2025

The President's DaughterThe President’s Daughter by Bill Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t read this if you expect to ease into sleep at night. At 4:30 in the morning, I had to force the audiobook off so I could sleep. And yet I couldn’t. This book was very suspenseful.

With a cast of narrators that includes Tony Goldwyn, Fajer Al-Kaisi, James Chen, Jeremy Davidson, Amanda Dolan, Peter Ganim, Dion Graham, January LaVoy, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Soneela Nankani, the story is lively. The characters are full, flawed, and human.

About halfway through, I thought it was just an epilogue from the end. Then I looked at the progress line and saw that there was still a lot more to read. I needed to sleep!

This book is the second installment in the series, and I find that the collaborative writing of James Patterson and Bill Clinton creates a believable story that is also somewhat scary. Let this serve as a warning to be read in the light of day. Maybe a car ride audio rather than bed.

I am grateful to have borrowed this Libby audiobook.

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Review: Every Moment Since by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

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July 8, 2025

Every Moment SinceEvery Moment Since by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I ran out of something to read too early in the night. Libby had this story available to borrow. I wasn’t sure about it. Murder mysteries are not my favorite. Especially in cases where a child is missing. But with the multiple narrators and character development, I was drawn in. Although it was a whodunit, it was more about family relationships, watching the characters grow up without their loved one.

It is undoubtedly sad at times, but one has to find equilibrium after loss. I think that was the main point of the story.

I loved Marybeth Mayhew Whalen’s writing and the acting chops of Cassandra Campbell, George Newbern, Kirby Heyborne, Jane Oppenheimer, Macleod Andrews, and Renata Friedman.

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Review: The President Is Missing by Bill Clinton

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June 19, 2025

The President Is MissingThe President Is Missing by Bill Clinton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don’t read this at bedtime! Perhaps a great read for jogging or biking? It is one of those thrillers that keeps the adrenaline pumping. I don’t often read books as exciting as this. However, I thought the combination of authorship and team of narrators (Mozhan Marnò, Jeremy Davidson, Peter Ganim, Dennis Quaid, January LaVoy) would make this feel like a radio show. Or a mental movie.

I wish there were an occasional random female voice. I find that a male voice imitating a female pulls me right out of the story. However, aside from that issue, this was quite the adventure. I’m eager to read the next book.

Libby had this book to lend. Yay!

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Review: The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear

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June 5, 2025

The Consequences of Fear (Maisie Dobbs #16)The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I hate when my reading gets so far ahead of my reviewing. Luckily, reading the blurb helped refresh my memory of what happened in this book. This book grabbed me right away with the young man witnessing a murder and how it left him confused.

Despite the Second World War increasing in intensity, local murders not only didn’t go down but escalated. Sometimes it is war-related, perhaps even from a previous war, leaving behind lingering bad feelings. So Maisie’s job is cut out for her.

Once again, Jacqueline Winspear’s writing and research are impeccable. And Orlagh Cassidy’s narration is so entertaining.

Thanks to Libby for loaning me the audiobook. And thanks to my friend, Kay, for recommending this series. I’m nearly finished. I’ll be so sad when it comes to an end.

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Review: Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear

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May 20, 2025

Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs, #10)Leaving Everything Most Loved by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series is so good, I can hardly wait to read the next one. Then I get ahead of my reviews, and I have to read the blurb to remember which book was which. So if you need to, go to Amazon and read the blurb. My quick blurb: Maisie Dobbs must solve the mystery of Indian immigrants in this book. But she has other issues that creep up to take care of. But in her thoughtful way, Ms. Dobbs gracefully finds answers.

You can find this one on Libby. If I had more income, I would buy the whole series. Jacqueline Winspear’s writing and research put her books over the top! In addition to the great stories, Orlagh Cassidy’s narration makes them feel like reality.

I highly recommend this series and this book.

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Review: Elegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear

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May 19, 2025

Elegy for EddieElegy for Eddie by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh, this was sad. Poor Eddie.

This has a long blurb on Amazon so I suggest you take a look at it.

There are so many issues that we currently face but were surely worse back in 1933. Especially dealt with is how the disabled can live if worked with or can suffer through bullying.

As I’ve mentioned before I love the Maisie Dobbs series. Each book hold a wealth of information in history and psychology as well as a great mystery or two to solve in the process.

Again, I have to praise the writing of Jacqueline Winspear and the talented narration Orlagh Cassidy make these books the best entertainment and bedtime reading.

I feel blessed to have found the series on Libby. If you get the chance, give the series a try! Thank you, Kay for suggesting these.

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Review: A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

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May 15, 2025

A Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs NovelA Lesson in Secrets: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As the next world war is just rumors and philosophical differences, Maisie works for Scotland Yard to help sort things out at a college. She takes the role of a professor to learn what she can.

As usual with this whole series, the story feels immediate, real. Jacqueline Winspear writes with all the research handy and dispels it in all the senses so you feel you are there.

With Orlagh Cassidy’s narration, the scenery and characters are alive.

I highly recommend this series. I can’t review them fast enough. I am already three reviews behind! I have to get into the next one as soon as I finish the first. So I’ve already borrowed #11 from Libby so I need to write these quickly!

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Review: The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear

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May 13, 2025

The Mapping of Love and DeathThe Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love, love, love this series! I have a hard time separating individual books as they blend in together after a while. Especially if I finish at an early hour, during my bedtime reading, and I have to check out the next one on the Libby app.

But this book caught me with the search for the wartime map maker. I have always loved maps. I miss them in our new GPS age. That just shows the road you are on and maybe a bit more, but a map gives you a freedom to know more areas, other roads to enjoy. But who thinks about the importance of a map during a battle? This book taught me a lot about how important that aid can be.

Orlagh Cassidy’s voice gives all Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs a feeling of being in the story. Even better than radio. I can see what is happening, the characters, and the surrounding area.

Thank you, Kay, and Libby for these books!

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