A Hired Kill (Garrett Mann #2) by Steven Konkoly

First, I would like to thank the Thomas & Mercer publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC version of #AhiredKill in the Garrett Mann saga in exchange for this review, which is completely personal and freely offered.

This is a fast-paced, action-filled adventure featuring Garrett Mann as the leader of a mismatched team of not very rule-abiding FBI agents and Mexican ex-different-forces that find themselves involved in a plot much bigger than they initially expected.

This is the continuity of the previous book in the saga, A Clean Kill. Having not read the first one, I was thrown into the dynamics of a group of characters with many names that were initially hard to keep track of. However, some of them grow on you as you turn the pages.

It really is an action thriller, with a little heart that I would have liked it a bit more explored. What I liked the most is the delicate balance Mann and Serrano had to maintain. They had mutual respect and admiration, but duty intertwined with the pact they had made, and they had to dance around that sense of betrayal that strains their relationship.

Apart from Mann and Serrano, there were a few characters that I really liked, such as James or Gupta, they had something special that ticked. I really liked how James casually pretended not to hear the news. The group's playful ways of teasing Gupta, when he doesn’t catch on to sarcasm. These moments are what make the characters both likable and memorable. And when there are so many, this is important.

There were other personal plots that weren't developed enough. It's hinted that Serrano and Mann had feelings for each other, but then... there's no follow-up on that. The ending also felt a little bit incomplete. I don't want to spoil the very end, but there aren't enough clues to tell if that's the conclusion or if there will be a sequel. I would have appreciated more hints leaning toward the latter.

Expected publication date: May 27, 2025  

Overall, it was a well-paced action thriller. Quite entertaining. However, I highly suggest reading them in order, starting with A Clean Kill.

Puntuación: 3,75/5*

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Murder in an English Castle (A Flora Steele Mystery Book #10) by Merryn Allingham

In general, I liked it, but since I joined the saga in this 10th installment, I was a bit lost at first. The initial chapters were quite full of names I wasn't familiar with, and the relationships among them made it challenging to keep track. As a consequence, I almost set the book aside. However, since I received it from the publisher in exchange for a review, I decided to continue reading.

I was hooked the moment the couple visit Alex’s mother and Jack and Morton quarrelled...

Thanks to the prologue, we know it’s set in 1959 because all the rest seems to take place in later decade, but without mobile phones. In general, the setting feels like an old-fashioned area trying to uphold the neighborly ways of previous generations like The Good Witch’s Middletown, Stars Hollow or similar endearing locations. The thing that took me back in time and made me laugh was the college's night porter's behavior over the night calls. There are several moments like these that gave the story a pull and were highly enjoyable.

As a couple, Jack and Flora didn’t have much chemistry in this book. I wonder if this relies on previous books where they meet and develop some kind of romance, but I am not entirely sure. I missed something more between them, a complicity, a loving touch further than a kiss on the cheek... They’re newly-weds!

Meddlesome Money (Cozy Corgi Mysteries #13) by Mildred Abbott

Not the best in the series, it promised much more detecting than we finally got. 

Good back story, but I expected more from Fred.

No voy a hacer una crítica de cada entrega de la saga, ya que son casi 40 las que están ya publicadas. No obstante, me he propuesto que, si no os parece mal, de aquí en adelante escribiré sobre aquellas aventuras que me hayan parecido especialmente buenas. 

Eso sí, sin menospreciar el resto de entregas, ya que son todas muy entretenidas. Lecturas "galleta", de las que empiezas por una y no paras hasta que no puedes más... 

Habiendo leído más cozy mystery desde que empecé esta saga, debo decir que es de las que más me gustan, así que si no sabes por cuál empezar, te invito a la primera galleta.

Puntuación: 2.75/5

Traitorous Toys (Cozy Corgi Mysteries #2) by Mildred Abbott

El segundo de la saga, un pelín menos sorprendente ya que usa la misma estructura que el anterior y es algo más predecible, pero es muy entretenido y fácil de leer.

Bajo la premisa de ¿hay peor regalo que encontrar un cadáver en plenas Navidades?

Secretos, secretos y secretos. Fred y Watson deberán abrir cada cajita escondida para descubrir la verdad y meterse de cabeza, de nuevo, en otra peligrosa aventura con final.... ¿feliz?

¡Descúbrelo tú misma o tu mismo! No me digas que estos ojitos no te piden tener esta portada entre las manos...

Se trata de una lectura rápida, un cozy mystery con entregas cada 4-6 meses siguiendo la vida de este dúo que deberá encontrar el equilibrio entre el trabajo en la librería de sus sueños, volver a creer en el amor y la amistad tras varios varapalos anteriores, y desenmascarar a quienes osen irrumpir en la paz de su querido Estes park, entorno y familia. Nada nuevo, ¡pero muy enganchante! 

Puntuación: 3.5/5