Rise of the Mage (Resurrecting Magic Book 1)by Keary Taylor

College is hard—classes, homework, bullies. But, being the daughter of renowned professors, I grew up at Alderidge University and was on track to have an easy start to my freshman year. Until I met Nathaniel Nightingale.

Aloof and mysterious, Nathaniel’s hands were covered in scars that told me he had a violent history. He started asking questions about my own, and then dark secrets in our family lines collided after a strange discovery in the library. We found words with power, and they unleashed abilities in the both of us that had been lost to the world.

Turns out, the witch trials weren’t entirely the product of mass hysteria. As far as we can tell, almost every mage was wiped out – killed for their knowledge and their capabilities. And now I have to wonder if my mother’s disappearance is related.

This is dangerous. It feels impossible. We have the weight of an entire lost race resting on our shoulders.

But we’ve got this. Together, we’ll bring it all back. Together, we’ll resurrect magic.

Gallows Court (Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries Book 1)by Martin Edwards

London, 1930

Sooty, sulphurous, and malign: no woman should be out on a night like this. A spate of violent deaths—the details too foul to print—has horrified the capital and the smog-bound streets are deserted. But Rachel Savernake—the enigmatic daughter of a notorious hanging judge—is no ordinary woman. To Scotland Yard’s embarrassment, she solved the Chorus Girl Murder, and now she’s on the trail of another killer.

Jacob Flint, a young newspaperman temporarily manning The Clarion’s crime desk, is looking for the scoop that will make his name. He’s certain there is more to the Miss Savernake’s amateur sleuthing than meets the eye. He’s not the only one.

Flint’s pursuit of Rachel Savernake will draw him ever-deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder-by-murder, he’ll be swept ever-closer to its dark heart—and to the gallows themselves.

Christmastime 1940: A Love Storyby Linda Mahkovec

Set in New York City against the backdrop of impending war, Christmastime 1940: A Love Story tells the story of an unlikely romance between a struggling young mother trying to make a fresh start and a man who has lost his connection to humanity.

The curmudgeonly Charles Drooms is perfectly content with his life as the owner of a successful accounting firm. However, when the beautiful widow, Lillian Hapsey, and her two young sons move down the hall from him, his narrow world is shaken. Three forces—Lillian, the Christmas season, and a mysterious little boy—converge to stir up powerful memories, pushing Drooms to make some life-altering decisions.

The Mystery of the Doll’s Eyesby Anna Mara

No one should die on their birthday. It should be one of life’s rules. But that’s exactly what happens to businessman John Newberry, the richest and most hated citizen in Nettleton Top, when his dead body is discovered face down at his lavish 70th birthday party at his mansion. Whodunit and why? And why did none of his guests see or hear anything? And what does his creepy invention of doll’s eyes used in his famous toys have to do with his murder? It’s a mystifying puzzle because the list of suspects is long, the motives are many, and no one is talking.

The super sharp and unflappable senior, Mrs. Pidgeon, amateur sleuth and owner of The Mrs. Pidgeon’s Cafe on Main St., is on the case. No one outsmarts her! Can she use her genius for crime-solving and figure out the clues to the killer, bringing justice to her small Canadian town?

If you like a fast-paced mystery with interesting characters, hidden clues and unexpected twists, you’re going to love The Mystery of the Doll’s Eyes, the first standalone story in The Mrs. Pidgeon Murder Mystery Series.

Perfect for fans of quick reads, murder mystery, whodunit stories filled with clues that will keep you guessing until the end.