Princess Elizabeth has become the Queen of England, and we meet her and other characters at Sandringham House.
What a lovely bustling place to be. Cooks, housekeepers, and all the staff rushing around to make Christmas perfect and special for the first Christmas with the new Queen.
A lovely, lovely storyline, wonderful behind-the-scenes information about the Royals, and a beautiful read all around. 5/5
FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/4dytybx9
A knock at the door doesn't always mean something good.
The day Rory answered the knock, he found a soaking wet young woman who had no idea where she had come from or what the current year was.
Rory knew he shouldn't try to help her because of his background, but he had to help someone who seemed lost and had no place to go.
He tries to solve the mystery of this woman who thinks it is still 1972 and doesn't know what a cell phone is or a flatscreen television. He also questions if she is putting him on.
She is very reluctant for him to seek outside help because apparently someone is after her.
Will he be in danger too if he helps her? And...does she really have memory loss or is she a scam artist?
Find out how it all turns out in the fast-paced, intriguing read with great descriptions, wonderful character development, and a pull-you-in storyline.
This is my first book by this author and an enjoyable one. It is a bit long, though, and has a tiny bit of science fiction. 5/5
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
How did Erin get herself into this situation?
She should have listened to her instincts and the voice of her mother and friend Lucy about rich guys.
We follow Erin as she falls in love with Stefan. He is everything she always wanted, but is he?
Did he pull her in just to spit her out?
We also meet Madison, a neighbor of Stefan's who is having an affair with Stefan's brother.
The chapters alternate between Erin and Madison as we see how things progress and learn about stolen art and Stefan’s “real” life.
Could stolen art be a motive for murder?
Lots of secrets and lies in this mystery that asks these two questions: “Is it worth marrying a rich man, and who can you trust?”
A little slow and confusing at times, but it’s worth the read, and the ending line is great. 4/5
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Michael G. Colburn’s Lady Black Mystery series is back with the latest installment, “Asylum Murders.”
Second installment in the Lady Black series arrives from author of "jaw-dropping" historical mystery novels.
December 16, 2025
I.P. Publishing
Mystery
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ABOUT ASYLUM MURDERS:
In the gaslit streets of 1890s Melbourne, Lady Edith “Edie”Black has reinvented herself. Once a notorious London thief, she now poses as a widowed aristocrat while secretly establishing herself as a private investigator.
When Parliament’s ceremonial mace disappears during a night of debauchery involving high-ranking officials, Edie is hired to recover it discreetly. But her investigation takes a darker turn when a young woman is brutally beaten and left for dead after the same event.
Meanwhile, Edie’s dearest friend Britina, a novice nun assigned to the infamous Kew Asylum, witnesses disturbing disappearances among the patients. When Britina is framed for murder, Edie must infiltrate the asylum’s forbidding walls to save her.
With time running out and powerful enemies closing in, Edie must use all her criminal and aristocratic skills to expose the truth before becoming the next victim.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Michael G. Colburn has studied and written about the creative process for several decades.
He started several businesses and one manufacturing company based on creation and invention. He has authored over twenty patents.
His books include the bestselling Invent, Innovate & Prosper, and How Julia Found Happiness and Financial Success.
He now devotes his time to writing The Lady Black Crime fiction series.
He lives with his wife in Vermont. When he is not writing, they like to travel and take long-distance walking trips, exploring paths and cultures worldwide.
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FOLLOW MICHAEL ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
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BUY LINKS:
An Interview with
Michael Colburn
1. What has your writing journey been like so far? How did you find yourselfwriting novels in retirement?
I tried painting but had zero talent. My writing journey has been in two phases. When I retired, I wrote books on the creative process, invention and successful management ofthe creative process. It is what I had done in business for over four decades. The back of my mind always niggled at me to find a good story.
2. How did you come up with the idea for Lady Black?
When I found the story of a ship being stolen from the River Clyde in Glasgow during the 1800s, I felt this could be the beginning for a novel. Why was it stolen, and for what purpose? Who did it? What happened during its voyage? I was told it disappeared. A little was revealed during my research, but most questions weren’t answered, so I could make up the story and many of the characters. I wanted a central figure to build a series on.
One newspaper account mentioned an elegant lady, finely dressed, who boarded the Ferret Steam Ship with the principal thief Henderson. He introduced her as his wife, but she mostly vanished from accounts of the Ferret’s exploits. She became my Lady Edith Black and the protagonist of the series.
3. How do you plot your mysteries? How have readers responded to the twists in your books?
I love stories with twists and turns, but I don’t plan them, and I don’t plot my stories except to have a central theme, some genuine events, unsolved crimes when possible, and I build out the story from there. The twists just come as I write. Readers seem to love a good surprise when reading, provided it’s supported in the story.
4. What research did you do for “Asylum Murders”? How did you capture 1890s Melbourne?
Once I have a direction for a book, I do a lot of research. For Asylum Murders I read newspapers and magazine articles from the time, based in Melbourne. Most of the historical and cultural material came courtesy of the National Library of Australia. The setting of Melbourne was chosen for me because that’s where the steamship Ferret ended up in Stolen Brilliance (book one). It helped that I had a development editor whogrew up in Kew, a part of Melbourne and a primary location for much of the story. Here, however, I found a biographical book set in the Yara Bend Asylum (forerunner to Kew Asylum): Lizzie’s Journey to Yarra Bend by Linley Walker. The book provided a good deal of information about asylum life in the Victorian era.
5. What’s next for you? Can readers expect more from Lady Black in the future?
I currently have five novels planned for Lady Black but hope there are more. I like to focus on one of my main characters in each book other than making each page about Edie (Lady Black). Of course, her backstory was part of book one, and she plays a critical role in each book, but book two has a lot about her best friend growing up in book one, Britina. Book three, currently in first draft, centers on Benji Diamond, and book four-moves to America and centers on Jack Diamond.
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What a heartwarming read to help get excited about the Christmas season.
A beautiful inn with lovely guests greets us as we join Lila who isn’t sure she wants to be here celebrating.
Will Lila enjoy her time here or want to go home and pout on Christmas Day?
She did come to find her birth mother not enjoy herself.
Things get comfortable for her as we see what happens as we get to enjoy Christmas along with the warmth of being with the small group of welcoming guests.
If you need something uplifting, be sure to add this sweet read to your TBR. You will love the characters, the setting, and just everything about this book.
If this were a real town and a real inn, I would want to be here. 5/5
Thank you to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
BOOKMAIL THAT ARRIVED THIS WEEK.
WHAT ARRIVED FOR YOU?
Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
Mailbox Monday is now hosted by Vicki!!
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On Tuesday, December 9, I received:
1. A SPRINKLE OF SWEET SERENDIPITY by Rachel Linden, courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley, and NetGalley.
LOVE her books - love this cover!!
