Beware the blackbirds…
It’s Halloween in Vermont, winter is coming, and five humans, two dogs, and a cat are a crowd in Mercy Carr’s small cabin. She needs more room—and she knows just the place: Grackle Tree Farm, with thirty acres of woods and wetlands and a Victorian manor to die for. They say it’s haunted by the ghosts of missing children and lost poets and a murderer or two, but Mercy loves it anyway. Even when Elvis finds a dead body in the library.
There’s something about Grackle Tree Farm that people are willing to kill for—and Mercy needs to figure out what before they move in. A coded letter found on the victim points to a hidden treasure that may be worth a fortune—if it’s real. She and Captain Thrasher conduct a search of the old place—and end up at the wrong end of a Glock. A masked man shoots Thrasher, and she and Elvis must take him down before he murders them all. Under fire, she and Elvis manage to run the guy off, but not before they are wounded, leaving Thrasher fighting for his life in the hospital, Mercy on crutches, and Elvis on the mend.
Now it’s up to Mercy and Troy and the dogs to track down the masked murderer in a county overflowing with leaf peepers, Halloween revelers, and treasure hunters and bring him to justice before he strikes again and the treasure is lost forever, along with the good name of Grackle Tree Farm….
One-word review: Devious
Emojis: 🏡☠️🫣
Rating: 𝟰.𝟮𝟱 🌟s
My thoughts:
The Mercy Carr mystery series by Paula Munier has a new fan in me! I loved the first book I read in the series (but not the first of the series) – Home at Night. It has a little bit of haunted house creepy, which is perfect for this time of year, a compelling personal story, and a bunch of interconnected mysteries to solve. Plus, there are many literary references – I think I’m in book love!
Mercy Carr lives in her hometown (after a stint with the military) with her new husband, two dogs, a cat, a teen mother, and the teen’s adorable daughter. It’s a houseful of wonderful characters who I just loved reading about. Mercy holds a lot of scars, but she’s on track to fulfilling all her dreams, even ones she didn’t realize she had.
When Mercy and Troy decide to buy the local haunted house, which has recently come on the market, they immediately find a dead body in a locked room of the house, and that’s just the beginning of the body count and a complex trail to solve all of the mysteries before Mercy becomes a victim. What is it about the house that is leading to murder, and why? I loved the investigation’s windy path, with many twists and turns and shocking revelations. It’s fast-paced with loads of suspense and even some thriller moments.
I can’t wait to read more books in this series!
For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd, Murder by Degrees is a historical mystery set in 19th-century Philadelphia, following a pioneering woman doctor as she investigates the disappearance of a young patient who is presumed dead.
Philadelphia, 1875: It is the start of term at Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania. Dr. Lydia Weston, professor and anatomist, is immersed in teaching her students in the lecture hall and hospital. When the body of a patient, Anna Ward, is dredged out of the Schuylkill River, the young chambermaid’s death is deemed a suicide. But Lydia is suspicious and she is soon brought into the police investigation.
Aided by a diary filled with cryptic passages of poetry, Lydia discovers more about the young woman she thought she knew. Through her skill at the autopsy table and her clinical acumen, Lydia draws nearer the truth. Soon a terrible secret, long hidden, will be revealed. But Lydia must act quickly, before she becomes the next target of those who wished to silence Anna.
One-word review: Fascinating
Emojis: 👩🏻⚕️☠️⁉️
Rating: 4.5 🌟s
My thoughts:
Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji is a crime thriller that took me back to the late 1800s and led me on a chase to find a killer before it’s too late. I loved the way this story was written. The historical aspect immersed me and never felt cumbersome or weighty in the story. This is a fast-paced medical thriller, and the short chapters, frequent action, and large dose of suspense keep the pace quick and engaging.
The medical aspect is fascinating primarily because of the period. I love that it adds a women empowerment angle since females in medicine were not commonly accepted back then. The main character, Lydia, is an excellent doctor who stands up when male practitioners denigrate women’s abilities. The medical terms can be confusing because I don’t know them, but that only impacted my reading experience minimally.
The main character, Lydia, is just incredible. She is easily someone I can get behind as a reader, and I loved learning more and more about her. Her past is seamlessly incorporated into the current story, and she is fully developed with layers that explain so much about her and her decisions.
A superb lead character, a women’s empowerment thread, and a fast-pace make this thriller an exceptional read!
15 responses to “Home at Night by Paula Munier and Murder be Degrees by Ritu Mukerji #bookreviews #mystery”
Both books sound interesting but I think I would love Murder by Degrees more. Amazing reviews, Tessa!
It is a good one. I love the women empowerment theme and it is handled so well!
Great sounding mysteries, glad you enjoyed them & great reviews 💕
They were both so good. That was a treat.
Fab reviews, glad you enjoyed both of them!
Me too!
Two great books, very spooky and perfect for this time of year.
Utterly perfect for the season!
I’d read both of these. I love haunted houses, and with that many people and pets it sounds fun. I’m also a fan of books set in the 1800s – maybe I lived in that period in a previous life, lol.
😂. The 1800s do have an appeal unlike any other time period.
These both sound fabulous. Excellent reviews, Tessa. You continue to build my TBR!
But only with wonderful books 😁
Both of these series are on my radar and you make it harder to keep them on the back burner. Excellent reviews, Tessa💜
You will enjoy both! I wonder how the audio would be with Murder by Degrees. But I think Home at Night would be excellent on audio.
They both sound great but the one set at Halloween is perfect for October