Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA 2026 Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for AUTHOR’s TITLE! This book made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (18 in 2026) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.
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Book Details:

Title: Lianna and the Hombit by Valinora Troy
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery
Age Category: Middle Grade
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Length: 255 pg.
Publication Date: January 29, 2026

About the Book:

A grieving girl in need of a friend. A magical creature with a secret task. Can they end the ancient curse threatening their new home?

When 13-year old Lianna, devastated by the loss of her father, is sent to the distant land of Nivram, she finds her new home and guardian every bit as horrible as she expected. When she meets a magical birdlike creature called a hombit, they strike an alliance: Lianna will help it complete its secret mission if it helps her get home.

But her plan goes awry and she accidentally awakens a creature that threatens both her and her new home. Lianna must uncover family secrets to avoid a terrible fate…
A heart-warming story of the healing power of friendship when all seems lost.

What is the opening line? It was late afternoon when the mail coach clattered through the town gate, rattled over cobbles and rumbled to a halt.
What’s a fun fact about the book? The hombit (a magical creature that looks like a small glass bird) has a secret mission – which it has forgotten
What food or drink pairs best with the book? Every kind!

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Bookshop.org ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Valinora Troy is a children’s fantasy author from Ireland with an MA in Creative Writing, specialising in writing for Children & Young Adults. She is the author of four middle grade fantasy adventures, two writing guides for young writers and a collection of short stories for children. Short-listed for the Staróg Prize in 2023, her books have been long- and short-listed for various awards. She was selected as a panellist for the CYBILS (Children & Young Adult Bloggers Literary Award) in 2021. She regularly gives talks and holds writing workshops in schools and libraries, and has served as a Reading Ambassador for Louth Libraries in 2025 and 2026 for the #IrelandReads Campaign.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Instagram ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

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Archie Goodwin on Voting

By HCNewton

On November 3, 2026

In Calendar Items, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin, News/Misc., Quotations, Rex Stout

For the 3 of you who are unaware, it’s Election Day in the U.S., so I thought I’d share this little bit from Archie Goodwin to commemorate it.

The most interesting incident Tuesday morning was my walking to a building on Thirty-fourth Street to enter a booth and push levers on a voting machine. I have never understood why anybody passes up that bargain. It doesn’t cost a cent, and for that couple of minutes, you’re the star of the show, with top billing. It’s the only way that really counts for you to say I’m it, I’m the one that decides what’s going to happen and who’s going to make it happen. It’s the only time I really feel important and know I have a right to. Wonderful. Sometimes the feeling lasts all the way home if somebody doesn’t bump me.

–Archie Goodwin
from A Family Affair

BBNYA 2026 SEMI-FINALIST SPOTLIGHT: Faith of their Fathers by Samuel M Sargeant

By HCNewton

On November 2, 2026

In Book Tour, Fiction, General Fiction/Literature, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

I’m very pleased today to welcome The BBNYA 2026 Semi-Finalist Spotlight Tour for Samuel M Sargeant’s Faith of their Fathers! This book made it to the semi-finals, so you know there’s something good going on–but before getting to this Spotlight, let’s start with a word about BBNYA.

BBNYA:

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (18 in 2026) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official.
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Book Details:

Title: Faith of their Fathers by Samuel M Sargeant
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller
Age Category: Adult
Format: Paperback
Length: 352 pg.
Publication Date: July 11, 2024

About the Book:

False God.

At the dawn of the 11th Century in a small Icelandic settlement, these words, daubed in blood, herald the arrival of a killer. Soon, a spate of murders threatens the fragile peace between pagans and a growing Christian minority. Arinbjorn, a young pagan farmer resolves to track down the killer before the community is permanently torn apart. His investigations will draw in Freya, an isolated housewife whose secrets could either condemn or free her.

Meanwhile in Norway, King Olaf Tryggvason has his own designs upon Iceland and its people. War is rife in Scandinavia, and a Christian Iceland would bolster his control over the region.

Only one thing is certain: these murders will change Icelandic society forever.

What is the opening line? The blood looked black in the moonlight.
What’s a fun fact about the book? It is based upon medieval Icelandic sagas.
What food or drink pairs best with the book? A peaty whisky
What music pairs best with the book? Anything by Howard Shore, or music by Wardruna

Book Links:

Amazon Canada ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ The Story Graph

About the Author:

Samuel Sargeant is a Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the Open University. His main areas of interest include historiography and its relationship to historical fiction: with a special focus upon the history of adaptation. He is currently researching the samtíðarsögur (contemporary sagas) of medieval Iceland. He is viewing these broadly historiographical texts as acts of creative writing and using them in the development of his novels set within this period.

Website ~ Bluesky ~ Instagram ~ Twitter

My thanks to The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award for the invitation to participate in this tour and the materials they provided.

The Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award 2026 Semi-Finalist badge

Paper Murder by Ian Robinson: An Angel of Vengeance?

By HCNewton

On October 22, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Paper Murder

by Ian Robinson
Series: DI Nash and DS Moretti, #5
Publisher: The Book Folks
Publication Date: July 16, 2026
Format: Paperback
Length: 211 pg.
Read Date: October 6, 2026

What’s Paper Murder About?

Nash and Moretti, fresh from losing a case in court (a case, they knew needed some more work before taking to trial, but didn’t get the chance to do so), are called to the scene of a murder. The crime scene is carefully composed, for lack of a better word, the body was posed, there were origami pieces left by the hands—it has all the marks of someone who took their time, wasn’t concerned about being interrupted or overheard, and very likely left little to nothing for the SOCO folks to pick up on.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the victim is the defendant who walked away free that day. The pressure—and maybe some suspicion is coming their way.

And then another body shows up with the same pose and origami shows up. This one is also a recently freed criminal—tied to the same organized crime family.

So they’ve got a vigilante targeting one group—or someone from a competitor posing as a vigilante. Either way, if something doesn’t happen soon, the criminals are going to start their own investigation—and they’re not going to be nice and respectful of rights or anything as they go about it.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I picked this up because it’s an Ian Robinson book, and I will read anything this man puts out. Also, I’ve enjoyed the Nash and Moretti thrillers up to this point, and would’ve given it a shot regardless of the author.

I kept at it for the usual reasons: I wanted to find out who the killer was—and more importantly, how Nash and Moretti figured it out, and how they caught (presumably) the killer.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

If anything, Paper Murder is about limits. These detectives have limits—the other teams of police they interact with have limits, the people in the killer’s life can only do so much, too. Some of these are limits of budget, some are of time, some are related to the ability to do the same kind of soul-crushing job day after day.

Some of these, like budgets, are easy to figure out and stay within (even when you don’t want to). Others will sneak up on a person unaware—the trick is to find them and do something to prevent hitting the limit too hard—or sailing past it to your own detriment.

Nash and Moretti both have to reckon with—and respond to—the limits of what they, as people, can do. The series has been pointing at this for awhile, but Robinson underlines it in bold this time.

So, what did I think about Paper Murder?

This novel delivered just what you want. Some odd murders, just spooky enough to get your attention—not so horrific that you want to turn away. A calling card from the killer you just have to pay attention to. A twisty way for solid police work to find the answers, a couple of lucky breaks along the way, and a very satisfying conclusion.

There’s at least one point, but I think it’s two (I only wrote one down), where the police state something as a working theory and/or fact that hadn’t been brought up before. Just out of the blue, “where’d you get that idea in the first place? And when did the team decide to go with it?” Yes, the theory/fact pushed the story in the right direction, but it felt like Robinson cut a conversation or two along the way—and for a book that seems so good at procedure, jumping a few steps feels out of character. Did this ruin anything for me? No. Did it take me out of the scene and make me go back to check and see if I missed something? Yes.

There’s some solid character work here, if I had to nitpick—there’s not enough of Nash and Moretti together, more of them running around on their own (particularly Moretti), or with other detectives from their team or others. One of the keys to this series for me has been the two of them, and while I understand the choices behind separating them as much as they were, it did diminish my experience a bit.

Solid British police procedural work. If you haven’t taken a ride with Nash and Moretti yet, there’s no reason this can’t be your first, it works fine as an entry point. If you’ve dabbled in this world before, you know what to expect—and you’ll get it. A good mystery that feels authentic as anything out there. I recommend it.

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PUB DAY REPOST: The Key to a Killer by Olivia Blacke: Solving Cordelia’s First Murder Mystery—Her Own

By HCNewton

On October 20, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Key to a Killer

by Olivia Blacke

DETAILS:
Series: Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries, #3
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 20, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: October 7, 2026

What’s The Key to a Killer About?

With two solved murders under their belt, it’s time for Ruby and Cordelia to focus on one closer to home—very close to home. It’s time to talk about Cordelia’s murder.

Cordelia begins to remember more about that fatal night—which starts to point them in the right direction.

All they have to do is hope her memories continue to come back, while they’re distracted by industrial espionage, marital difficulties (obviously, not either of theirs), Cordelia’s brother, Ruby’s budding romance, workplace struggles, new ghost abilities (better said, Cordelia learning about abilities she had), a series of break-ins at their apartment building, some questionable political moves, a persistent journalist, and a few other things. Most of which could point to the solution to their puzzle. But might not.

Why did I pick this up? Why did I keep reading?

I grabbed this to read because I’d read the first two books in the series and had to find out what happened next. I’ve been curious (as Blacke wanted the reader to be) about Cordelia’s murder since her first book. It wasn’t too long before Blacke made it clear to the reader that she didn’t die accidentally or by her own hand (no matter what Cordelia’s ghost might have thought), so I just had to know whodunit.

Also, I’d read Blacke’s last 5 books, and have found her to be a completely reliable author, and I’m now predisposed to pick up something with her name on it without much thought.

I kept going because I like the characters, first and foremost, and enjoy spending time with them. Curiosity (see the opening paragraph of this section) was obviously a driving force, too. But Blacke kept putting them in interesting circumstances, things that raised more questions than they answered, and watching the two bounce around from red herring to red herring to a thing that actually matters, just not in the way they thought…Blacke got everything right this time.

What does this book tell us about humanity?

I think The Key to a Killer—like the rest of the series, actually—has two important themes about humanity. The first is trust. Extending trust to the right people, cutting off that trust when we should, and then relying on those we’ve trusted. If we act like islands (think Simon and Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock”), we flail. Both Ruby and Cordelia are proofs for that.

The second is the need to not be alone. Ruby needs people to keep her out of her head and for safety. Cordelia needs people to care for, to help her not make self-destructive choices, to just be around. The isolation she wrapped herself in wasn’t good for her. Ruby was likely headed in a similar direction before she and her new roommate got together.

I guess really, both of those could be summed up in a need for community of some sort—the people in their building, their coworkers, fellow ghosts, family. Now, it’s clear that not everyone in the building or at work should be depended on—and ghosts can be less than reliable (just like the living)—but in actual community is where humans, living or not, thrive.

So, what did I think about The Key to a Killer?

I do think the first in the series, A New Lease on Death</b was more entertaining—the humor was a bit more pronounced, the fun of watching the two figure each other out, and so on—made for more fun. Death at the Door was a bit more tense, with more implied danger. But Blacke topped the others here with heart and intrigue—the threat of violence seemed both more pressing and less likely (I think this has to do with the number of allies that Ruby has picked up by this time). She took everything she’s done so far and kicked it up a notch or two (except maybe the humor—but that could be in an “eye of the beholder” situation this was more about earnest effort), as she should. The result is a novel that’s just a little bit more satisfying than its predecessors.

I’m assuming that this is the end of the road for this duo. I’d be very pleased to find out that I’m wrong, but it feels like this Blacke has tied up enough that she can leave them to un-recorded adventures. If that’s the case, this is a satisfying end-point for the pair. We see them in good places, with a lot tied up, some good closure on lingering questions about Cordelia’s life (beyond the question of “who killed her”)—and Ruby in a good place, too.

Obviously, learning more about Cordelia’s final days gives the reader a lot to chew on. Without wanting to give too much away, learning what we do about her married boyfriend is rather revealing—and I’m glad Blacke went the way she did with that. In the end, she’s a more complex and flawed character than she seemed to be when we first met her spectral form.

There’s one clue that took Ruby frustratingly long to figure out—and I’m less than happy with one of her subplots was left (there’s something to be explored if Blacke goes for a fourth book). But overall, the arc she’s been on is very well done. Honestly, those two points are my only complaints about this book.

I don’t know if this is the best book to jump into things with—but it would work for someone looking for a ghosty-cozyish mystery for October. I think you’d be better off with three of the books to give you a solid ghosty story from the beginning. Obviously, I think most of the audience for this will be those like me who just want the big question about Cordelia answered and who look forward to the adventures up to that reveal (which was done so nicely).

I’m looking forward to whatever Blacke has coming next, too. I think most readers of this book will be, too.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley—my thanks to both for this. This post contains my honest opinion about a book I chose to read.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, the opinions expressed are my own.
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The Key to a Killer by Olivia Blacke: Solving Cordelia’s First Murder Mystery—Her Own

By HCNewton

On October 15, 2026

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Key to a Killer

by Olivia Blacke

DETAILS:
Series: Ruby and Cordelia Mysteries, #3
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: October 20, 2026
Format: eARC
Length: 368 pg.
Read Date: October 7, 2026