June Reading List

I continued my Donna Andrews cozy mystery streak in June, reading the remainder of her Meg Langslow books carried by my local library. It’s a big series and I didn’t get them all, but I’ve enjoyed the ones I read. I also read a few more of Lucy Score’s romances. Surprisingly, these were hit and miss for me. I started and discarded two and rated one a three star. The winners were definitely winners for me. I finished 15 books and lost count of my discards. My recommended reading follows:

The Reality of Everything by Rebecca Yarros 2020

After two years, Morgan Bartley still suffers from complicated grief syndrome after losing her pilot boyfriend in Afghanistan. She leaves her family, buys a run-down house on the Outer Banks, and tries to put her broken self back together.

Single dad Jackson Montgomery is irresistibly drawn to his new neighbor, as is his five year old daughter.

The best stories are about character growth, and The Reality of Everything has it in spades. I loved this book and give it 5 fat stars.

A Treacherous Curse by Deanna Raybourn 2018

The third book in the Veronica Speedwell series has Veronica and her companion, Stoker, searching for his former close friend who vanished on his way home from an Egyptian archaeological dig––along with a priceless artifact.

The publicity of the disappearance and a supposed curse on those involved with the dig bring up the sordid details of Stoker’s past and threaten to once again destroy him in the public eye. Raybourn is a terrific writer. If you enjoy historical mysteries this series is a great one. 5 stars.

Story of My Life by Lucy Score 2025

Lucy is one of the hottest romance writers working today, and for good reason. She writes big fat books about two people falling in love despite differences and hardships while trying to protect themselves. Story of My Life is about a NYC romance writer who suffered at the hands of her ex and hasn’t been able to write for two years. She finds inspiration in a newspaper clipping, ends up buying a house in a dying small lake town, and builds a new life for herself. 5 stars

Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews 1999
Another in the Meg Langslow series. I was looking for the one where Meg meets her husband and this is it. Meg is matron of honor at three weddings–her mother’s, her brother’s, and her closest friend’s. The sister-in-law to be is a demanding wench, her mother keeps piling it on, and her best friend is a nutcase. As in any good mystery, there is murder. In the case of the Meg Langslow mysteries, there is also mayhem. Fun read. 5 stars

The Dead Guy Next Door by Lucy Score 2020
This is a departure from Ms. Score’s usual romances. There is romance, but it is of equal importance with the murder plot. Riley thorn is our heroine, a psychic from a family of female psychics. While her relatives embrace their gifts, Riley doesn’t want them. When she has a vision of her neighbor’s murder she tells the cops, and then warns her neighbor.

Spoiler alert––he doesn’t listen, winds up dead, and Riley is suspect number one because she told the cops the murder was going to happen. Riley needs to find the real murderer so she can clear her name and does so with the help of a sexy private eye. I guess this falls under paranormal romance. If you prefer less graphic sex but enjoy Ms. Score’s style, this is for you. 5 stars.

Deception by Amanda Quick 1993

Romance readers know that Jayne Ann Krentz writes under three names. Amanda Quick is her historical romance name. This one is old and Krentz’s writing has definitely improved in the last 30+ years. Her plotting has always been enjoyable, however, and Deception is no exception.

A Viscount tracks down a family diary that is supposed to hold the clue to treasure buried by an ancestor. The diary is in the hands of a twenty-five year old spinster (yeah, ridiculous, I know. Back in the day, a woman was considered on the shelf if she wasn’t married by twenty.) who has the care of her three young nephews. The woman is a dreamer, and therefore somewhat scatterbrained, while our viscount is regimented. He claims to be a tutor sent by her uncle and brings order to a chaotic household. Romance and mystery, the hallmark of a Krentz book. Even though the writing isn’t top notch, the story is a good one. I give it 4 stars.