Two Bloggers One Series ~ White Night by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #9)

 We are back for another Dresden Files review! I love this series and I am glad I got Barb to read it with me as  I do a reread. :) After you see what I thought go on over and check out what Barb thought at Booker T's Farm.

Wizard Harry Dresden must investigate his own flesh and blood when a series of killings strike Chicago’s magic practitioners in this novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Someone is targeting the members of the city’s supernatural underclass—those who don’t possess enough power to become full-fledged wizards. Some have vanished. Others appear to be victims of suicide. But now the culprit has left a calling card at one of the crime scenes—a message for Harry Dresden.

Harry sets out to find the apparent serial killer, but his investigation turns up evidence pointing to the one suspect he cannot possibly believe guilty: his half-brother, Thomas. To clear his brother’s name, Harry rushes into a supernatural power struggle that renders him outnumbered, outclassed, and dangerously susceptible to temptation.

And Harry knows that if he screws this one up, people will die—and one of them will be his brother...

When some younger wizards are being attacked and some girls are killed Harry has to figure out what is going on. The way some were killed it points to his brother as maybe being the killer but Harry doesn't believe he would do something like that but he is a supernatural being and so he can't rule him out.

He ends up running into his ex-flame from a long time ago who at times he is not sure if she can be trusted but she is trying to protect a small group of women from being harmed by what is out there doing the killing. He has to work with her at times to help the young ladies. 

Also going on is the fact that Molly, the young lady that Harry is responsible for, wants to get in on some of the action and is trying to get better at her abilities and so Harry has his hands full with her as well. 

There is an epic battle between supernatural forces as always and life is just never dull around Harry.

I love this series!

5 stars 

Blog Tour ~ Murder at the Loch

 

This review is part of a blog tour for this book and my honest opinion of this book.

Meet Ally dog lover, guesthouse owner and accidental detective, as she tackles her next case in the beautiful Scottish Highlands!

Recent retiree Ally McKinley has stepped out with her puppy Flora for a walk by the loch in the tiny village of Locharran, taking a break from running the cosiest little guesthouse in the Highlands. But Ally’s peace and quiet is sunk when she and Flora find the body of a mysterious woman floating in the water…

Before she knows it, Ally finds herself wading into the middle of a new investigation. Who was the mystery woman and why was she killed? Her enquiries take her all over the from the corner shop and the nearby hotel to the turreted castle, home of local earl Hamish Sinclair where preparations are underway for his upcoming – and much gossiped about – wedding.

The body in the loch soon has the rumour mills buzzing. But then Elena, the earl’s new bride, is also found poisoned to death the morning after her marriage! With two deaths to investigate, the police appear to suspect almost everyone in Locharran, even Ally herself…

Determined to uncover the truth and clear her name, Ally finds poison at the home of one of her suspects and thinks she might be on the right path to solving both murders. But with a killer on the loose in the Scottish Highlands, can Ally unravel the clues before the next person in a watery grave is her?

My thoughts:

This is the second book in the Ally McKinley series a cozy mystery set in Scotland. 

Ally owner of a B&B who is friends with Hamish the Earl is surprised to find out the Earl has decided to get married and to someone way younger than him. Almost immediately after their chat about this they discover the body of a young woman in the Loch. She is a stranger to town and soon it's found out that she was coming to Locharran to marry someone else in the village. 

Elena the earl's bride to be makes it safely to Locharran with her sister but after the wedding is found murdered. This young lady whom looks a lot like the woman found in the lake and was a stranger to the place makes this look like the first murder could have been a case of mistaken identity as some people didn't want the older Earl to get married as then he might have a baby with the younger lady and have an heir if it was a boy. One such suspect being the cousin of the earl who is looking forward to the day Hamish dies so he can be Earl. 

Ally who is friends with the Earl decides to try and figure out what happened because she feels bad for the Earl and the policeman in town also thinks it was convenient that she found the body at the loch and also was at the wedding where the Earl's new wife was murdered.

Okay so the mystery. I know this is a cozy mystery, but it's still a mystery and I felt that most of this story was more cozy than mystery. This will appeal to a lot of people as I know a lot of cozy readers and we all have things about them we like and for me it's the mystery. I just needed a bit more sleuthing and a bit less of Ally hanging out with Ross and everything else. I will say that even though I figured things out about the same time as Ally, it didn't really surprise me none. The author did get me with the motive though as I totally was surprised about that and is probably what gets this half a star more. I just wasn't grabbed by this mystery and it's the mystery that keeps me wanting to read the story.

I do like the characters in this story. I like Ally, Ross, Linda, Hamish, and all the others and I don't mind getting to know what is going on with them, I just need more mystery. I am curious to see how things will go from here with the Earl and well, you just have to read to find out, but I am interested.

Overall, I thought it was an okay book and think that others might enjoy it a bit more than I did but I still that it was a decent read.

3.5 stars

About Author:

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years.

She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70!

Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDeeMacDonald
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Week in Review #114

How was your week? What did you get? The Week in Review is where I combine Stacking the Shelves, The Sunday Post and It's Monday! What are you reading?  If you have never joined in on these meme's you can check them out by clicking on the meme and it will take you to the host blog.

I can't believe it's already March!!! Where did February go?

Last week was a really nice week weather wise but I think we have some rain coming. It has been nice not having to get up in the middle of the night to mess with the fire to keep warm. We can do okay with blankets if the nights are 38 or higher but much cooler than that and I have to build a fire. Last night we had to have one...blah. I am so ready for steady warm weather especially at night, or at least a nice 45 at night. :)

Have a great week and happy reading!

What you might have missed on my blog

Review of Deep Midnight

Books I have added

• The Secret Detective Agency - It's a historical mystery and about a super sleuth that works for the government. First in a series by the same name as this first book.

Books I Read

• Tasmanian Tangle - I started out liking this one and then by halfway it went downhill. It was still entertaining but not as good as I hoped.
• Murder in the Scottish Highlands - This was a decent start to a new series but the mystery was a bit easy for me to figure out. 
• French Quarter Fright Night - This was enjoyable. It was the third book in the Vintage Cookbook series. Fun Halloween setting for those who might want to seasonally read, I am obviously not one of those types...lol.

Currently Reading

Traded my romances for mysteries as it's March Mystery Madness and I am a co-host on Youtube. I will come back to my romances in April. :)

• Berlin Game - Just started this one so only read a couple pages but it's a spy novel I believe.
• The Black Ice - Second Harry Bosch book and I am about 4 chapters into it and it's okay so far. Page 34 of 426.
• The Hovering Darkness - This is a romantic suspense from the 50s and only on page 8, but trying to get use to the style of writing. 
• Murder at the Loch - Second book in the Ally McKinley series and okay so far. I am 32% into the ebook.
• Physik - The third book in the Septimus Heap series and 6 chapters into the audiobook. It's okay.
• You Have Gone Too Far - Third book in the County Kerry series, this is not a cozy mystery even though the author writes those. It's a gritty one and I am enjoying it so far. Around 25% into the audiobook.

How did your week go? Hope you had a great week!