Tag: mystery

The Ivory City: Review

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About the Book:

Title: The Ivory City

Author: Emily Bain Murphy

Publisher: Union Square and Co.

Release Date: November 4, 2025

Pages: 352

Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Romance

Synopsis:

THE IVORY CITY is a historical mystery that explores the lush and vibrant St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904, where a miniature city of palaces and pavilions becomes a backdrop for romance, betrayal, and murder.

Grace and Lillie are cousins and have been best friends since birth, despite Grace’s inferior social status. When Lillie invites Grace to the biggest event of the century—the legendary World’s Fair, also known as “The Ivory City”—Grace doesn’t hesitate.

Then: a murder. A young woman at the fair is brutally killed, and suspicion quickly falls on Grace’s cousin Oliver.

Grace has to help prove Oliver innocent before he is jailed and her beloved cousin’s family is ruined forever. And along the way, discover whether the city’s wealthy elite—not least of all Oliver’s handsome, irritable friend Theodore—aren’t quite who they first appeared to be.

Because a killer is still on the loose, and all the glitz, glamor, and magic of the Ivory City is about to become a lot more dangerous to behold.

Review:

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher for review. Thank you for the opportunity. All thoughts are my own*

The Ivory City was REALLY good! I have read almost all of Emily’s books, so I had to read this one of course. You could tell that this book was well researched and that a lot of love was poured into the story. It’s a murder mystery set at The World’s Fair in St. Louis, featuring all of the glitz and glamour, and a slow burn romance. I instantly felt transported to 1904! I also loved how Emily explored the darker side of the time period, the differences between classes, and some of the inhumane ways that people were treated at the World’s Fair.

The romance was *chefs kiss* I won’t say more, as I don’t want to spoil anything.

I definitely recommend!

 

About the Author:

Emily Bain Murphy is a critically acclaimed author of books for adults and young adults. She was born in Indiana and raised in Hong Kong and Japan. She graduated from Tufts University and has also called Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California home.

Murphy is the author of the YA fantasies The Disappearances, which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and Splinters of Scarlet, which received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Bookpage and was nominated for the MASL Truman Readers’ Award. Both are available now from HarperCollins.

Murphy’s adult historical mystery Enchanted Hill is available now from Union Square and Co./Hachette. The Ivory City, a standalone adult historical mystery set at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, will be published in November 2025 from Union Square and Co./Hachette.

Murphys’s debut middle grade fantasy trilogy Lightseekers will be published in March 2026 from WaterBrook Multnomah/Penguin Randomhouse.

Murphy is represented by Peter Knapp at Park, Fine & Brower Literary and Media. She currently lives in the St. Louis area with her husband, three children, and a rescue bunny. Find her online at Instagram @emilybainmurphy and Facebook @emilybainmurphy.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue: Review

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About the Book:

Title: She Doesn’t Have a Clue

Author: Jenny Elder Moke 

Publisher: Minotaur Books 

Release Date: January 21, 2025

Pages: 336
Genre: Romance, Mystery, Cozy Mystery 

Synopsis:

With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen―from murder to a second chance at love―in Jenny Elder Moke’s half mystery, half romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding.

A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it’s more like a nightmare.

Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift. But when the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.

As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have a clue.

Review:

 

 

* I received an e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

3.5 rounded up to 4

This is Jenny Elder Moke’s adult debut, and it was a fast-paced fun read! Its mystery combined with romance and sprinkled with a dash of laughs. 

I loved the main character, Kate. She was hilariously funny, clumsy and sometimes awkward and I appreciated that about her. Jake was also a really likeable character and added his own charm to the story. 

 I buddy read this one, and we both agreed that the inner monologue between Kate and her fictional character Loretta really was distracting and took away from the story. I also felt that the spicy scenes felt a little bit unrealistic considering that the characters were dealing with an actual real live murder.

If you like mysteries and romance, this is a cute one! 

About the Author:

Jenny Elder Moke is the award-winning author of children’s and adult literature. She enjoys fast-paced adventures with plenty of mysteries, surprising turns, and laughs along the way. Her adult mystery rom-com mashup debut, SHE DOESN’T HAVE A CLUE, comes out January 21, 2025.

Jenny lives in Denver, CO.

To contact Jenny, sign up for her newsletter at https://subscribepage.io/jemnewslette… or visit Jenny on Instagram @jennyeldermoke.

Ex Marks the Spot: Review

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About the Book:

Title: Ex Marks the Spot 

Author: Gloria Chao 

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Release Date: December 31, 2024

Pages: 384

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance 

Synopsis:

A swoony rivals-to-lovers romance . . .
Family secrets that can’t stay buried . . .
A globe-spanning treasure hunt with puzzles to solve . . .212643715

This latest YA novel by acclaimed writer Gloria Chao takes readers on a soaring adventure through love, loss, and the lively streets of Taiwan.

For Gemma’s whole life, it has always been her and her mom against the world. As far as she knew, all her grandparents—and thus her ties to Taiwanese culture—were dead. Until one day when a mysterious man shows up at her door with two shocking the news that her grandfather has just recently passed, and the first clue to a treasure hunt that Gemma hopes will lead to her inheritance.

There’s just one major to complete the hunt, she has to go to her grandfather’s home in Taiwan. And the only way she can get there is by asking her ex and biggest high-school rival, Xander, for help. But after swallowing her pride, Gemma finds herself halfway across the world, ready to unearth her life-changing prize. Soon Gemma discovers that the treasure hunt is about much more than money—it’s about finally learning about her family, her cultural roots, and maybe even finding true love.

Filled with ingenious puzzles, a vibrant Taipei setting, and a delicious romance, Ex Marks the Spot is an exciting adventure by award-winning writer Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Loveboat Taipei, The Inheritance Games, and Thirteen Little Blue Envelopes.

Review:

4

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and Viking Books. Thank you for the opportunity to review. All thoughts are my own*

I have loved Gloria Chao since reading her debut, American Panda, so I am always anticipating her releases! I really enjoyed this one! If you like enemies to lovers, found family, and an epic adventure, this one is for you. 

Gemma Sun has grown up just her and her mom, thinking that her grandparents were dead. A mysterious man shows up at her door and lets her know that her grandfather has actually just passed, and she embarks on a trip to Taiwan to claim her inheritance. The only way that Gemma can manage to get there though is through begging her ex, Xander for help. 

As Gemma spends more time in Taiwan, she discovers that her treasure hunt is about more than money. It’s about learning about her family, her culture, and maybe about finding love.

I absolutely loved the setting of this story! The adventures that Gemma and Xander have made me want to see all these amazing places in Taiwan for myself. The romance is a super slow burn, and I probably would have been satisfied with Gemma just making new friends. I have to say that by the end though I did enjoy the romance, even though I wish there was more page time.

I loved the relationship that Gemma had with her mom and how much she came to really appreciate what they built together. 

I definitely recommend! This one it out today, so pick up a copy now! 

About the Author:

Gloria Chao is a screenwriter and the award-winning author of Ex Marks the Spot (forthcoming 12.31.24), The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club (forthcoming 6.24.25), When You Wish Upon a Lantern, Rent a Boyfriend, Our Wayward Fate, and American Panda. She graduated from MIT and became a dentist before realizing she’d rather spend her days in fictional characters’ heads instead of real people’s mouths. When she’s not writing, you can find her on the curling ice, where she and her husband are world-ranked in mixed doubles.Gloria-Chao-Author-Photo_web

Visit her tea-and-book-filled world at GloriaChao.Wordpress.com, and find her on Twitter and Instagram @GloriacChao.