Mary ZelinskyRezensionen

This was the first book I ever read by this author and I liked it very much. I did not realize that it was part of a series so I was a little confusedby some of the characteristics of the characters. Overall though I would say this is an excellent book and it portrays real human emotions unlike other Amish books they portray them as holier than thou and never having outburts or worries. A great read and I'll have to check out the other three in the series!

Julia’s children are grown with families of their own, and no longer living near. Julia misses her kids and her grandkids so much that she decides to hold a reunion with them all - no excuses for missing this event. So everyone arrives home, but some come with problems, some are unhappy, and some need to make life-changing decisions. New relationships are blooming but not with thorns, and old ones need to clear up some misunderstandings. It’s quite an entertaining tale, filled with a large cast of characters, all interesting and likable. Life may not always be easy, but somehow, things always work out. Though this is the fourth book in the series, it still works well as a stand-alone, and readers should little trouble understanding the characters and their backstories.

In this first of a new modern series, Kate Weller is on the run and ends up as a P.I. in Charleston, South Carolina trying to trace a sibling of a terminal ill woman. Meanwhile she gets in involved with her landlord, Eric Manfredi, and his family problems which have escalated to murder.
With the undertones of religion in the story, it really didn't capture my imagination. Probably too much veering towards a cosy mystery for my tastes.
A NetGalley Book

Mary Ellis is one of my favorite Amish fiction authors. A lot of her Amish stories are set in the Midwest and the characters are well developed and fewer in number. When I start a book by her, I want to keep reading until the end and I am sad when it is getting ready to end.

Megan Yost is in size, the youngest in a family, her character reminded my mother who was also the smallest and often called the runt in the family. Her ambition was to become a school teacher and be the best that she could be. Her curiosity sometime got her into trouble and her goal of being of a teacher disappointed her best friend and suitor. He wanted to marry and have children soon.

A rash of hate crimes against the Amish came to the attention of Megan' s father who was also a bishop and unlike the custom of Amish working out the problem in the community, he contacted the local sheriff and then felt very uncomfortable with his decision. The sheriff in turn contacted the FBI. Then we are introduced Agent Thomas Mast who has an interesting background and feels more at home in the country and with nature and a lot of city folks.

I highly recommend this book! My family experienced hate crimes on a smaller scale than the Amish in this story and I liked the way that sheriff handled in this book much better than what we experienced in real life.

Cora Dearing wants nothing more from life than to advance her journalism career from fussy little featurettes to investigative reporting. Therefore, she’s less than thrilled by an assignment to write a puff piece about a romantic getaway spot in Louisiana’s bayous, even though it does include a formal introduction to the dashing gentleman who had come on to her strongly at a restaurant a few nights before.

Ethan Auxier is handsome, rich, sexy, and the scion of one of Louisiana’s oldest families. Cora is smitten in spite of herself, but as a mysterious disappearance takes one of the B&B’s guests, and a miasma of violence begins to fall on others, it looks more and more like her new love interest is at the bottom of them. In the best romance-novel-heroine tradition, however, she has faith in Ethan and continues to poke into the incident and its investigation to get to the real story. And, increasingly more importantly, to clear her beloved’s name.

The biggest problem most readers will have with this generally formulaic tale is that, despite Zelinsky’s nice establishment of the New Orleans milieu, the hero is not particularly heroic. He lies to Cora, manipulates her, condescends to her in the very worst don’t-worry-your-pretty-little-head-about-it style, and is utterly dismissive of her professional goals. This is the hero? This is the man she’s risking her career, and possibly her life, to exonerate?

Why?

Well, that’s a question Zelinsky never really answers. This is one of those romances where the characters love each other because the author says they love each other. And besides that, he’s a great kisser.

This is apparently enough for Cora, and perhaps for some readers. Others will look for a bit more realism, even in a romance designed for leave-your-brain-at-home summertime beach reading.

ary Ellis is my favorite Amish fiction author. Great at storytelling, she balances several interrelated stories at once.

Abby is an unlicensed midwife who gets called out on emergency delivery. Everything goes wrong, she has never the woman who is in labor before, the doctor is already on an emergency and even though she asked Nathan Fisher to call the paramedics, he does not do it, His wife had refused to go to the hospital. The woman's life is lost but the infant has been saved. Abby is arrested. The judge insists on keeping her locked up in jail.

Abigail's sister, Catherine comes to take care of Abby's young daughter and son. At first, Abby's husband too much out of Catherine and both of them find it difficult to get along. Catherine's curiosity is stirred when she learns of the mysterious man who lives in a cabin at the back of the couple's property.

Nathan's aunt comes to help with the new baby Abraham and very soon sees that he will not pick ip the baby, she know that him staying mired in his grief is harming the baby,

Love, forgiveness and acceptance flow into the story and healing begins.

Emily, a young Quaker woman, has a lot to handle while running her family's farm on her own, not to mention her duty as the mistress of a safe house along the Underground Railroad. It may or may not be too soon for Emily to anticipate a marriage proposal from a young farmer nearby, but besides that, war in her country and news regarding her farm may plunge her into a future she isn't ready for in Romance on the River by author Mary Ellis.

Now, despite the title, I wouldn't call this short read a romance. The focus of this prequel isn't centered on Emily's relationship with the farmer she loves but rather on Emily's overall situation as an orphan who's suddenly had the weight of so much responsibility placed on her shoulders while war has broken out in the country.

Even though the circumstances are dire (even more dire than the characters could know, as the Civil War has only just begun), the read makes a little room for comedy, and there's sass in Emily's sense of humor. And I appreciate her conviction that no matter how "well" some masters treat the enslaved people in their charge, the institution of slavery itself is still "an abomination."

This prequel isn't a short story so much as its a prelude to a story. There's no resolve to this layered and intriguing setup—a setup for the novel that follows. I'm not ashamed to say that if I'd first come across the cover of the novel, The Quaker and the Rebel, I would have skipped right over it, as there's nothing about a man in a Confederate soldier uniform that attracts me, particularly if the image is made to look romantic.

But now being familiar with who Emily is (and hearing that the hero in the following story isn't what he seems), I might check the novel out sometime.

I have been looking forward to reading this book and it sure didn’t disappoint, with two separate murder investigations going on all at once, there is never a dull moment.
Answers do come, but surprises abound and once you think you know, don’t be too sure.
This is the second book in this series, but some of the characters I have come to care about from previous books, that being said, this is a read alone, but let it tempt you to pick up the previous.

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Severn House, and was not required to give a positive review.

3.5 Stars

Mary Ellis wooed me to her writing by immersing me in different settings in her Secrets if the South series. And I was thrilled to see she’s continuing that trend (albeit with a new series) in Charleston, South Carolina.

After a threat from her past creates a need for Kate to leave Savannah, she is handed her first solo case. One that seems cut and dry. Kate is happy to find a place to live in the form of a suite above an Italian restaurant in the heart of Charleston. But there’s something suspicious happening to the family that tuns Bella Trattoria.

This book has a bit of everything for readers—suspense, mystery, danger, emotions, secrets, and romance. With a couple of issues unresolved by the final pages, you can bet I’ll be watching for the next installment of the Kate Weller mysteries.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I loved, this book, what a great page turner and I now can’t wait for the next book, there better be one as we rather ended on a cliff hanger.
I have enjoyed each and every book in this series, and was happy to find another new book in the series of the Price Agency!
This story contains more than one, and at times it’s non-stop action, you never know what is going to happen next. There is murder and attempted murder, arson, larceny, assault, and even blowing up cars, and more.
I want more of Kate/Jill and hope that we will soon be back with the Monfredi family, I need some more answers!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Severn House Publishers, and was not required to give a positive review.

British girl, fathers factory needs supplies (cotton?) from US but Civil War is blockading shipments, so she goes to US to visit her newly married twin & convince her husband to do something to make that happen. Story of the times, then, wealth & slaves vs. servants. Decent.½

What happens when an Amish girl's prince charming is an Englisher.

Book II (Miller Family series)

Can a young Amish widow find love?

Book I (Miller Family series)

A convoluted mystery with lots of suspects that kept me guessing.

It’s so nice to be back with familiar faces and off on another adventure with the team. This series can stand alone but to really get to know the main characters and all the supporting ones best, this light, fun, sorta cozy type of read is well worth reading from the beginning.

I start with a smile on my face at the fun writing about Beth.

She’s quite the character. She is my favorite. I love her brash, snarky, sarcastic wit that puts poor Mike, who’s madly in love with her, through the wringer. She manages to find herself in uncomfortable situations, and she’s looking for a reason to get out of town..

I can’t help but laugh at Beth’s antics…even as she puts her life in danger to get to the bottom the mystery.

Old friends, new friends, a mystery solved and another mystery on the horizon. From Natchez and Pensacola, to Savannah, Beth always gets her man.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Sunset in Old Savannah by Mary Ellis.

Title: Sunset in Old Savannah (Secrets of the South Mysteries #4)
Author: Mary Ellis
Pages: 347
Year: 2017
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Beth Kirby and Michael Preston have been sent by their boss to Savannah, Georgia for the agency’s latest case. Beth has begun to respect Michael now that they have spent some time together and she can see he is willing to work hard to learn the skills necessary to be a private investigator. They are sent to see if their client, Evelyn Doyle, has an adulterous husband. Evelyn suspects her husband of forty years is having an affair. Beth and Michael are given time to sight see while in Savannah as well as track down Evelyn’s spouse’s movements. They quickly discover that Lamar Doyle is having an affair with a woman young enough to be his daughter. When they inform their client, they do not get the reaction they were expecting. Evelyn is upset, but she decides to forgive her husband as Christ has forgiven her of her sins. Beth is a fairly new Christian and has some trouble understanding this reaction, but the case is solved and they have some free time to enjoy the city…until a dead body is discovered.
Michael has feelings for Beth that are more than friendship, but he knows she is gun shy so he has kept quiet. He would rather spend the rest of his life with Beth as his friend that not have her in his life at all, which might happen if he reveals his feelings. Meanwhile, the more time they spend working the murder case together and sightseeing together, the more Beth realizes what a great guy Michael is, but she is nervous to speak up as she thinks she is no good at relationships. Then, another body is found.
I really enjoyed seeing the personal relationship between Michael and Beth develop. Beth had a great sense of humor, which I liked, and Michael seems like such a sweetheart! The mystery story was a little slow in some parts, but I liked the faith focus of Evelyn especially. Beth’s impetuous nature gets her in trouble, but she has a compassionate heart that leads her sometimes instead of her head. Michael is much more by the book and thinking things through. These two make for a good investigative team as their skills complement each other. So, get a copy and read about some of the sights of Savannah as well as a good mystery with some added romance!

This is the fourth book in this series that I have read and it kept me page turning from beginning to end.
This case has Beth and Mike away from Mississippi and in Savannah Georgia, and they are there to help and elderly woman learn that her husband is philandering, and then sadly to help prove she didn’t murder him.
We meet prejudice head on in this wealthy community, and if you can turn your back on it, this sounds like one awesome place to live. I’d eat on the patio and watch the waves crash, but alas that is not about to happen, but I loved reading about it.
We are kept on our feet as my mind went from one suspect to another, and I had a niggling about a suspect way back in my mind, but was I right, the only way to find out is to read this book that will keep you up as we try to find whom is responsible. We also meet and interview a new PI, and I’ll bet we are about to find her in our next story, and she has a quite a story on her own.
We are going on a culinary journey, along with some sparks of romance, run in with the law, and sadly a good murder mystery. All through the book we find people with great faith in God, and they seem to move on with adversity with the help of Him.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series, and being able to catch up with old friends is an added bonus. Enjoy!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harvest House, and was not required to give a positive review.

What Happened on Beale Street was By The Book’s January 2017 selection. We read book 1, Midnight on The Mississippi, in 2016 and really liked it. Mystery/suspense is our favorite genre, and when you combine it with potential road trip destinations . . . well, we are definitely in! The second book in Ellis’s Secrets of The South series features returning and new characters and a brand new mystery to investigate. These novels are standalone offerings, allowing the reader to jump in at any time. While those who read the book (yes we don’t always get the books finished before our meetings 😉 ) generally liked it, the general consensus was that it was a bit slow to develop. Also there are two mysteries being investigated, and we felt that the progress of the story lines often felt interrupted. Overall, though, we enjoyed What Happened on Beale Street and would recommend it.

In this second novel in the series, Nate is the main character. His character is expanded and he is introduced to a love interest. Nicki and Hunter, the two main characters from the first book, are given a secondary story line that was innovative and interesting. Although there is a mystery to solve with plenty of suspects and a stalking to thwart, What Happened on Beale Street was more about Nate and Izzy’s attraction. This is a romantic suspense where romance is front and center. In the end, the resolution of the crime was quick, almost too quick. However, I was ready for the mystery to be solved. One unusual feature of this book is that the victim was a genuinely good guy who everyone loved (at least almost everyone!). Many times authors make the victim the bad guy that no one mourns or often are glad they are gone. Danny’s character was revealed through those he had interacted with during his life. His death left a void in all the characters’ lives.

At least two more books in the series remain. We will probably be along for all the mysterious doings with Nate, Izzy, Nicki and Hunter.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

Mary Ellis’ Secrets of the South Series is fantastic and I am happy to share another book from the series, Magnolia Moonlight, and travel the south with some familiar characters. Each book of the Secrets of the South series targets one of the couples. Their characters grow and develop as they learn to work together and get to know each other.

Beth and Michael work for Private Investigations and they have some issues with each other. Issues they will need to resolve in order to solve the mystery surrounding the suicide of the preacher.

Maybe the issues are more Beth’s than Michael’s. She holds a lot of resentment towards her mother. Is it because she only she’s her as her mom and not a person? Do you have that problem?

Beth had left Natchez under a cloud, but she had done nothing wrong. Would her investigation be stymied because of it?

When Mary mentions Castle, the TV show, the pieces fall into place. Beth and Michael could be Kate and Castle, especially with their verbal ‘foreplay’.

Mary Ellis has one of the characters asking themselves, ” Was guilt genetically hardwired into female DNA?” Food for thought, don’t you think?

Mary does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life on the pages, making them believable and easy to relate to, though their work may be more glamorous than that of an assembly line worker or a waitress.

Beth and Michael both change and develop into deeper, more interesting characters.

WHOA, I’m on page 256, just reading along, thinking I know everything….then the story takes a wild twist. I think to myself, good one Mary, as I grin ear to ear. I love a surprise…in my books.

Murder, embezzlement, gambling, loan sharks…I am a bit of a gambler myself and love Texas Hold ’em, so Magnolia Moonlight has an extra element that sets it apart from other mysteries. And the mysteries do run rampant, as I twist and turn my way through the pages.

I love Mary Ellis’ stories because there is so much going on that, even though I don’t feel a sense of urgency and lurking danger, the writing keeps me going, wanting me to sate my curiosity of WHODUNIT.

I think I see the beginning of a new adventure for Price Investigations…

Coming soon…Sunset in Old Savannah.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Magnolia Moonlight by Mary Ellis.

Title: Magnolia Moonlight (Secrets of the South Mysteries #3)
Author:Mary Ellis
Pages:349
Year:2016
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
My rating is4 stars.
Book three in the series takes place approximately two years after books two in the series, What Happened on Beale Street. Isabelle and Nate are now married, but have been saving for a house so they haven’t taken a honeymoon yet. Coworkers, friends and family pool their resources and send them on a honeymoon. Nate leaves Price Investigations in the hands of his employee, Beth Kirby and new trainee Michael Preston. While there, Isabelle thinks she sees her ex-husband walking out of a casino. He had a gambling addiction in the past, which led to the downfall of their marriage. He has remarried and joined Gamblers’ Anonymous, so why is he walking out of a casino? Has he succumbed to his addiction again? This leads Isabelle and Nate on a mystery as her ex is adamant that his new wife, whom he has left at home, Isabelle and Nate are in danger.
Beth Kirby is an ex-policewoman who left the force due to a romantic crush on her boss. Some of the other uniforms in the precinct thought she got her promotion to detective due to this relationship. She resigned and became a private investigator. She now works for Nate Price. She is given the task of training Michael, who is a whiz at computer stuff, but has no hands-on training at working an investigation. A local pastor is found dead and the investigating police office, Beth’s former partner at the precinct, views the death as a suicide. The victim’s wife refuses to believe that and comes to Beth, asking her to take on the investigation to prove the victim was murdered. Beth does find some incongruities, but isn’t wild about having Michael tag along during her interviews. The two soon develop a tentative rapport while they continue to follow some missing money that everyone thinks the victim stole and that he killed himself because he couldn’t live with what he had done. Beth and Michael hope to find evidence and recover the money before it disappears forever.
I really liked that this book had two mysteries going on at the same time. I also the interplay between Beth and Michael; I hope that a romance between those two is on the horizon. I also like reading about the cuisine and geography of the southern U.S. The message of faith is also evident in this story as well, which I greatly appreciate! There is a fourth book planned for this series titled, Sunset in Old Savannah. There is no release date yet, but I’ll be reading it once it is released. I have enjoyed this series so far and have enjoyed getting to know the characters better with each installment.

What Happened on Beale Street by Mary Ellis is my second foray into the stand alone Secrets of the South Mystery series and I am so happy to embark on another adventure through the southern states of America.

I love familiar locations and mysteries, so when I won the first beautiful book, I was ecstatic and I want to tell you how ‘marvelous’ the continuing journey has been.

A childhood pledge takes impulsive but lovable Nicki and her gang from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Memphis, Tennessee.

Nate, her uptight but competent and loyal cousin and private investigator partner are on the case. It helps to have the wealthy and hunky Hunter to finance their trip and they are on their way in style. I love it. Made me think of Hart to Hart, the crime solving TV duo, only they are married.

The characters are ‘real’, with all their good and bad exposed. They have big hearts and are there for each other.

What do murder, stalking and a scavenger hunt have in common? What Happened on Beale Street.

The mystery is not mind blowing, but the tension and pacing kept my curiosity peaked, turning page after page, until I was done. Not only did I want to know who the murderer was, but I was even more concerned and curious about Isabelle. BUT that’s a mystery you’ll have to find out for yourself.

I thought I knew exactly how it would end, but Mary Ellis seems to be able to surprise me to the very last page. The suspense makes this hard, if not impossible, to stop reading once you start. I see more stories coming with this wonderful cast of characters and I am curious where we will travel to next.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of What Happened of Beale Street from Mary Ellis.

My book club, By The Book, loves a good mystery, and Midnight on The Mississippi by Mary Ellis provided just that. We loved the characters, the setting and the twisting plot. It also produced some very lively conversation and a desire to take a book field trip. All around, this book gets a thumbs up!

Nicki Price is a newly minted PI determined to leave her poor, rural roots behind. But can you really go forward without dealing with the past first? With perseverance, a bit of luck and a little swamp time, Nicki will find out just who killed Hunter Galen’s partner — hopefully before Hunter lands in jail and she ends up dead!

Let me say first that we loved, loved, loved the setting. New Orleans is one of my favorite places to visit and Ellis did a good job of bringing it and its environs to life. Her characters were fun, with many endearing and more that we loved to hate. The plot was a bit predictable and in some cases stretched credibility, but we decided to suspend disbelief and join in the fun.

There was only one thing that I took issue with. Nicki is a Mississippi girl and is often referred to by the author as a “delta” girl. Um, no. Nicki was from Natchez; the Delta (notice the capitalization) is located in the north western part of the state. It’s own distinctive region, the Delta has a rich culture and heritage, as rich as its black earth. While this discrepancy was a bit of an irritant for me, I decided to over look it. Regional details are difficult to get 100% right when you are not from the area. And if you are wondering how I know about such things, I lived in Mississippi for 8 years, married a Mississippi boy and had a true Delta Girl as a college roommate.

Minor issues aside, we loved this novel and will be reading book #2, What Happened on Beale Street, in 2017. We give it a highly recommended rating.

Highly recommended.

Audience: adults.

Magnolia Moonlight
Mary Ellis

Summary: What Sinister Secrets Lurk in the Shadows of Yesterday? Natchez, Mississippi—Private Investigator Nate Price and his new wife, Isabelle, need a vacation. Their coworkers generously team up to surprise them with a belated honeymoon...but the happy trip turns sour when Izzy spies her ex-husband, who appears to have taken up his gambling addiction once again. While the boss is away, Price Investigations remains in the hands of Beth Kirby, a former police officer, and Michael Preston, a former forensic accountant. Hardly a dream team, as Beth resents working with a man who has no experience in his new job. But Beth and Michael must move past their differences if they hope to uncover the truth behind a beloved Southern preacher's demise. The preacher's widow suspects foul play, despite the evidence indicating suicide. With tension escalating between these investigators and local law enforcement—and new threats arising on all sides—how will Beth, Michael, and Nate hold on to faith and bring the truth to light?

Review: Enjoyed the book overall. I had trouble at the start because Beth was just plain stuck up. I was glad that she came down to earth half way through. Isabella was starting to go back to the less than gracious woman from the previous book. It was a little slower than the first and second book. I liked that there were 2 mysteries going on at once. It was an easy read, although it took me till almost half way to really get into the book. I did like Mike and Nate. Nate’s character was the most constant of all the characters.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Harvest House for allowing me to read and review this book in return for a free copy and I was never asked to write a favorable review by anyone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful mystery by Mary Ellis. She keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages. I will definitely want to read the next book in this series.

Hunter Galen's partner is found murdered. Hunter was getting calls from him all day and even during a large family party and now he's dead. Of course, he is at the top of the list of suspects. As he searches for clues to who did the crime and why his partner would be murdered he discovers shady dealings he knew nothing about. Enter Nikki Price, a novice private detective who convinces Hunter to let her take the case. As she looks for evidence to prove Hunter innocent someone doesn't want her snooping around. You will need to read this adeptly written novel to see for yourself how this murder is solved.

I highly recommend Midnight on the Mississippi the first of the South Mysteries.

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and I gladly have given my honest review.

An Amish woman falls for an English sheep farmer. Her aunt wants a baby while the husband speculates on crop futures. Author Ellis weaves a tale that shows how faith and ability to follow god wishes tests the strength and ability to love. The characters come across as authentic and struggling with the decisions made.

I enjoy books set in places that I have been to as it makes me feel a part of the story and the Secrets of the South mystery series do just that. The third book in the series, Magnolia Moonlight takes place in Mississippi. Nate Price and his wife, Izzy are on their honeymoon, but their pleasure trip turns a bit sour when Izzy's ex husband appears and they have to sort out somethings that he is involved in. Meanwhile while they are gone, Beth Kirby and Michael Preston are holding down the agency at home, and find themselves investigating the death of a preacher.
I like "seeing" familiar sites within the book, but the author does a great job of description so that you feel you have been there even if you are unfamiliar with the sites. I liked seeing how Michael and Beth had to work with their different styles to get the job done. This is a great book for mystery lovers and those who like a bit of romance both.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher to read and review.