Murder Comes By Mail - A Review

Published - May 2016, Revell Books
Series - Hidden Springs Mysteries Book 2
Author - A. H. Gabhart
Title - Murder Comes By Mail
Format - ebook, paper
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Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane didn't mean to become a hero. He was driving the church bus full of elderly ladies to a play when he sees a man about to jump off the bridge. Of course he stops and ends up saving the man's life. But was it worth it? Because now Michael is known as the Hero of Hidden Springs. But that's not all, girls are being killed, and their pictures are being sent by mail to Michael. Then it gets personal. The killer is going after people Michael cares about. Can he get to the bottom of it before someone he loves is killed?

It was so much fun to return to Hidden Springs. I loved how Michael interacts with the townsfolk. I also loved how Michael followed his instincts to find the killer.

I'll admit, I had my suspicions early on in the book, and I wasn't wrong. But following the trail of evidence was the real joy of this book. This isn't a romantic suspense novel, but it is truly a cozy mystery. It was still a quick read, and made for some fun reading at lunch.

I received the Kindle copy of this book via NetGalley from Revell for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of mysteries, small towns

Rating -  4 stars

Murder at the Courthouse - A Review

Published - October 2015, Revell Books
Series - Hidden Springs Mysteries Book 1
Author - Ann H. Gabhart
Title - Murder at the Courthouse
Format - ebook, paper
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After spending a few years as a detective in Columbus, Michael Keane is glad to return to his hometown of Hidden Springs as a deputy sheriff. The job is way less stressful and he's able to relax a bit more because nothing ever happens in Hidden Springs. Well nothing except for the dead body on the courthouse steps. The sight of the body makes the town uneasy, but only slightly. After all, the man was a stranger. But Michael senses that there's more to the murder than what is on the surface. His suspicions come to fruition when a respected citizen is murdered right on Main Street. Michael knows the cases are connected, he just has to figure out how. As he investigates, he finds himself led on a chase that questions all he's believed about his hometown.

I really enjoyed this book. It's what is classified as a true cozy mystery. The small town is filled with characters that are a hoot.

I did find the book to be one of those that was very easy to put down and come back to later. Sometimes days later. But I wanted to know how the puzzle pieces were all going to fit together and I kept on.

Of all of the list of suspects, the author did  a good job in having the culprit be one I wasn't expecting. I enjoyed meeting Michael and Aunt Lindy. I look forward to more of them in the next book.

I received this book for free from Revell via NetGalley for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of cozy mysteries, Lorena McCourtney, Jan Karon, Mindy Starns Clark

Rating - 4 stars

The Gifted - A Review

Jessamine Brady has spent the majority of her life in the quiet Shaker village. Her natural curiosity about life and the things of the world are considered sinful. When she happens to save the life of a man of the world, her entire foundation is questioned. Tristan Cooper is running from a future he's not sure of when he wakes up in the Shaker village. Drawn by their quiet ways, he uses the time to think about his life and the direction it's taking. A startling revelation from a forgotten letter set events into motion that Jessamine is helpless to stop. Will she find the love and happiness that she longs for or will she learn to be content in the village where she's grown up in?

I have never read anything by Ann Gabhart before or about the Shakers. While I did have some trouble wrapping my head around some of the Shaker beliefs, I allowed myself to get immersed into the story. Jessamine's curiosity about the world parallels Tristan's search for answers. They both long to be free. She to use her imagination and he to live his own life. There is a refrain that the Shakers sing at their meetings that is the biggest theme of the book - the gift to be free and the gift to be simple. Both Jessamine and Tristan come to understand those gifts in their own way. I especially loved the secondary character of Sister Sophrena and her journal entries. Through her we see the struggle that Jessamine goes through. Overall this was a very good book and I'll probably try to find the others in the series to read.


I received this book for free from Revell publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.


The Gifted is available in July, 2012 from your favorite bookseller courtesy of Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.


Rating - 4 stars