Apr 19 2022
I’m sure there’s an interesting sociological reason for the recent rise of anthropomorphism in popular culture aimed at adults, where once it was considered primarily the province of children’s books and media. From the bestselling Wanderhome role-playing game to this delightful Shady Hollow mystery series, a longing for creature comforts seems to have seized grown-ups …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/04/19/cold-clay-shady-hollow-2-by-juneau-black/
Apr 11 2022
Tia Drakos is a Los Angeles real estate appraiser who, once upon a time, worked with the police as a handwriting analyst. She’s initially surprised when an old friend, Elise Davis, contacts her about appraising the home Elise grew up in. As the daughter of Hollywood royalty Carson Davis, and a fairly successful businesswoman in …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/04/11/appraise-her-by-paula-priamos/
Mar 13 2022
A rare blunder by Erast Fandorin, Imperial Russia’s foremost detective, puts him on the trail of an assassin and revolutionary in the summer of 1914, a trail that leads to Baku, oil-spattered boomtown and possible crucible of a plot against the very order that Fandorin upholds. The city itself is a bubbling pool of money, …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/03/13/black-city-by-boris-akunin/
Feb 03 2022
To the Land of Long Lost Friends begins with a wedding and moves quickly to a funereal subject. And it was on the way [to the catering tent] that Mma Ramotswe suddenly gripped Mr J.L.B. Matekon’s arm. “I have seen a ghost, Rra,” she said, her voice filled with alarm. He looked at her in …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/02/03/to-the-land-of-long-lost-friends-by-alexander-mccall-smith/
Jan 04 2022
This page-turner of a thriller will have you either sighing with satisfaction at the ending or grimacing with dismay, depending on your personal worldview. Three friends have decided to take off from the hurly-burly of New York City in order to have a girls’ weekend upstate, all while nursing wounding sorrows. Diana is hiding from …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2022/01/04/the-perfect-escape-by-leah-konen/
Dec 07 2021
Her Second Death is a kick-ass short story introduction to Melinda Leigh’s on-going Bree Taggart mystery series. It takes place just days after Detective Taggart’s transfer to the Homicide division of the Philadelphia Police Department. And while this is the first official homicide she’s been assigned to — and is, in fact, her second case …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/12/07/her-second-death-by-melinda-leigh/
Dec 01 2021
with illustrations by Shannon O’Toole. The Math Kids are starting fifth grade in a pretty glum mood. Not only are they not all in the same class any longer, but the boys, Justin and Jordan, have been stuck with a teacher known as Miller the Killer, who has no love for math and barely teaches …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/12/01/the-math-kids-an-incorrect-solution-the-math-kids-5-by-david-cole/
Nov 02 2021
I really struggled with this short story collection, which is unusual given that its publisher tends to be astonishingly good at anthologies. I wonder if some small part of that was due to how my brains have been practically leaking out my ears as I worked to hit several deadlines this past week (including the …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/11/02/daggers-drawn-edited-by-maxim-jakubowski/
Oct 29 2021
My ten year-old brought this home from his school library and recommended I read it, too! Fortunately, he warned me that he hadn’t actually finished it when I handed it back to him, else I would have likely dropped some major spoilers, but I could tell him that it was a fun read with at …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/10/29/space-case-moon-base-alpha-1-by-stuart-gibbs/
Oct 25 2021
Wow, what a way to whet a reader’s appetite for more! Police Detective Del Castigliano has left Madison, Wisconsin for Seattle, ostensibly to pursue opportunities in Homicide, but really to get away from a failed engagement and memories of his ex. He’s partnered with hotshot veteran detective Moss Gunderson, who’s generously given him the lead …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2021/10/25/the-last-line-by-robert-dugoni/
Al Singh
Doug Merrill
Doreen Sheridan
John Pitzel
Lars N. Goldschlager
Laura Eilers
Professor X
Robert Maedgen
Sylvere Ap Leanan
The Shire