Oh my, I certainly did read a lot this month! There were some excellent books in October, including a new Irish police procedural series I discovered. I can’t wait to share with you, so let’s dive in.

The first three books I read were perfect for “spooky season”. I don’t particularly care for horror or really scary stuff, so these books fell into the category of what I enjoy reading this time of the year. Do make a note of these for yourselves for next October!

The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano is based on the true story of Margaret Jones, the first woman to be found guilty of witchcraft in Boston. The story is mostly told from the point of view of her husband, and was quite riveting. Very good character building. Free on Kindle Unlimited right now. 3.75 stars

A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney was so atmospheric. Our main character, Hecate Goodwin, is a hedge witch who has curated the perfect peaceful life for herself in a cottage at the edge of a forest. It turns out, however, that her coven has kept a big secret from her. Apparently, she has far more power than she ever realized. The story is loosely based on the myth of Persephone and Hades, and I found its spellbinding magic the perfect cozy autumnal read. 4.25 stars

Salt and Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher was so good! This book is a gothic retelling of the story of Jane Eyre. Our main character, Jane Aire, sets out one crisp October morning on a mission very alien to her sequestered boarding school upbringing. You see, Jane has attended a school that trains its students in magical arts, and she has been hired by Mr. Rochester to rid Thornfield Hall of the malevolent spirit of his first wife. There is a slow burn romance, a great plot twist, and excellent pacing I couldn’t put it down! Free on Kindle Unlimited right now. 4.5 stars

The next book I read was a fall romance, set in the crisp autumn days of 1990’s Vermont. If It Makes You Happy by Julie Octavia was the perfect book for this time of year. The cover alone makes me happy! I lit a fall candle, heated up some spiced cider, cozied up with this delightful book and enjoyed every page. If you loved 90’s Meg Ryan rom coms, are a Gilmore Girls fan, and like an opposites-attract romance, you will eat this up. Michelle is a busy career woman who just broke up with her fiancé and has to take over her parents’ cozy bed and breakfast inn temporarily. Her next-door neighbor, Cliff, is the hunky, laid-back town baker. Great cast of secondary characters, and there is even a dog with a grumpy personality. I won’t say more, just read it. 4.75 stars.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman may be a familiar book to you. I read the first book in the Thursday Murder Club series, and it was just ok for me. I finally got around to reading this second book in the series and adored it. I am a fan for life now. This is proof that some series just keep getting better and better with each book. There is a Netflix movie based on the first book, and after watching it, I just had to get this second book, based on the same septuagenarian cast of characters who just can’t help solving the mysteries that keep falling into their laps. 4.75 stars

No Hiding in Boise by Kim Hooper definitely has a darker theme than the books I have previously mentioned here. It is a gripping tale of a group of people impacted by a mass shooting in Boise, Idaho. It was a well done, realistic, portrait of people affected by a painful and tragic event. Dark, sad, and thought-provoking. I think you have to be in the mood for a book like this, and I wasn’t quite prepared for the subject matter, as I didn’t read the description of the book before I dived in. 3.75 stars

Here to Stay by Mark Edwards is just what you want in a thriller. I was pulled in right away by this book. Here’s the setup: Elliot and Gemma fall in love practically at first sight, and in no time she has moved in with him, and they have gotten married. They are blissfully happy, when Gemma drops the news that her parents and sister (who have been living in France for years) are coming to stay for a temporary visit while they find their own place. Her parents are very strange to say the least, and the sister doesn’t ever even leave the guest room. As weeks turn into months, it becomes obvious that these in-laws from hell have no plans to leave. What’s Elliot going to do about it? This was a totally compulsive story that I couldn’t put down! Free on Kindle Unlimited right now. 4 stars

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower was a happy surprise. Set in 1883 London, our main character, Emma M. Lion has at last returned to her rightful home in the neighborhood of St. Crispin’s. Emma’s plans to restart her life are sabotaged by her evil guardian Cousin Archibald, formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the various neighbors in St. Crispins. Emma documents her trials and triumphs in a series of enormously entertaining journals. This is a series of eight short books, which are all free on Kindle Unlimited right now. I think you will be as surprised and delighted by these books as I am! Do give them a try. 4 stars

The Tenant by Frieda McFadden. I’ve heard that you either love this author, or ….you don’t. She is the author of The Housemaid, series, which is pretty well known. This was my first book by her and it was ok. It is a standalone thriller, it is fast-paced, has a twist I didn’t see coming, and was over with pretty quickly. Blake Porter has just been abruptly fired from his job and now can’t afford the rent on the brownstone he shares with his fiancée. So, he gets a tenant who seems perfect at first. Until she’s not. Free on Kindle Unlimited right now, so you might as well try it. 3 stars

Bog Queen by Anna North was a very different sort of book for me. Our main character, Agnes, is a forensic anthropologist who has been called in to investigate the perfectly preserved body of a woman from the Iron Ages, who has been dug up out of a peat bog. The book has two timelines: the present day, and the time of the woman they found buried in the bog. What was interesting is that both Agnes, and the Bog Queen experienced similar difficulties in being strong women with abilities that threaten the men in their societies. I enjoyed the book and the parallels that were drawn between two women across the centuries. Some things just never seem to change. 3.5 stars

Frank and Red by Matt Coyne was excellent. Grab your tissues and let’s settle in for a wonderful reading experience. Frank is a grumpy old curmudgeon who can’t leave his house. His only companion is the ghost of his dead wife, Marcie. Then Red moves in next door. Red is a six-year-old boy who is navigating his parents’ divorce, moving to a new neighborhood, and starting a new school where he has no friends and a bully is tormenting him. An extremely unlikely friendship develops between Frank and Red, and you will love every moment you spend with these two characters. Engrossing, heartwarming, and so so satisfying. Don’t miss this one. Only $2.99 on Amazon Kindle. 5 stars

The Circus Train by Amita Parikh. This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for three years and I decided it was time to read it. The book mainly takes place on a circus train that travels throughout Europe shortly before WW2 breaks out. Our main character, Lena is the daughter of the circus’s headlining illusionist and is also the victim of infantile paralysis, polio. Lena is a brilliant child who is fascinated by the world of science and medicine. Her life changes when she and her father rescue Alexandre, a mysterious orphan with many secrets. As the war escalates, the friendship between Lena and Alexandre deepens until events related to the war separate them. It was an interesting story, and for those of you who might like a WW2 novel with a different theme and setting, you should pick it up. $4.99 on Amazon Kindle. 3 stars

These last three books are an Irish police procedural series featuring Cormac Reilly. Cormac was formerly a detective in Dublin, but has transferred to Galway with his girlfriend Emma, a research scientist. If you love the books by Irish author Tana French, you will love this series.

The Ruin, The Scholar, and The Good Turn by Dervla McTiernan were all so good, I read them one after the other. I just couldn’t get enough of the gritty plots, the internal police corruption, and the smarter-than-anyone-else main character Cormac Reilly. Loads of very atmospheric descriptions of Ireland and its weather and people. I love this author, whom you may know from one of her previous books, What Happened to Nina, based on the Gabby Petito murder. I highly recommend everything she has written! Solid 4+ stars

Honestly, there wasn’t a bad book in this bunch, and many of them are free or very cheaply priced on Amazon. I bet you could get many of them at your local library as well, if you prefer to avoid Amazon.

As always, let me know if you read any of these books and what you thought! I love hearing from you about the books I recommend.