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Friday, August 21, 2026

Review: Knit Happens...then Murder (A Penelope Sinclair Cozy Murder Mystery #11) by Tessa Aura

Knit Happens...then Murder

A Penelope Sinclair Cozy Murder Mystery #11

by Tessa Aura

Published: August 21, 2026

Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, Cozy Animal Mystery

 

Blurb:


Some secrets unravel one stitch at a time. Others end in murder.

A brand-new yarn shop should have been the perfect addition to the charming coastal townof Bath, Maine. Instead, its grand opening ends before it begins.

When shop owner Evelyn Harper is found murdered among unfinished knitting projects, antique shop owner Penelope Sinclair knows someone wanted more than a life silenced—they wanted something hidden.

The suspects pile up fast: a bitter business rival, an attention-hungry social media influencer, and an ex-husband hoping for a second chance. With Teo, her scene-stealing teacup Chihuahua, by her side, Penelope follows every loose thread.

Because sometimes the mostdangerous secrets aren't the ones everyone is talking about...they're the ones no one realizes are missing.

Can Penelope unravel the truth before the killer ties up one final loose end?

Perfect for fans of clean, witty cozy mysteries, charming small towns, lovable dogs, clever amateur sleuths, and twist-filled whodunits.

Goodreads ~ Amazon


My Review:

Tessa Aura's Knit Happens…then Murder delivers an engaging and tightly plotted narrative that opens with the grand opening of a local yarn shop. The town's excitement is short-lived, however, when owner Evelyn Harper is discovered deceased among her knitting projects. Amateur sleuth Penelope,accompanied by her charming teacup Chihuahua, Teo, is tasked with navigating a complex web of suspects, including a bitter business rival, an attention-seeking influencer, and a persistent ex-husband.

As a recent divorcée and newcomer to Bath, Maine, Evelyn was known for her exceptional listening skills. Unfortunately, this trait allowed her to inadvertently uncover a secret that a local culprit was willing to kill to protect. The author builds suspense masterfully, creating a fast-paced reading experience where the desire for answers compels you to race toward the conclusion.

The novel excels in its character dynamics. Teo’s antics with the yarn provide excellent comic relief and clever assistance during the investigation. Additionally, the interactions within the local knitting circle are a highlight, particularly the introduction of their newest member, which adds immense charm to the story. Aura successfully balances a heartwarming cozy atmosphere with genuine emotional weight regarding the victim's tragic fate.

This installment is highly recommended for enthusiasts of clean, witty, and animal-centric amateur sleuth mysteries. Knit Happens…then Murder is an excellent addition to the genre, and readers would be well-advised to explore the entire Penelope Sinclair Cozy Murder Mystery series to fully appreciate Penelope and Teo's journey.

Check out all the books in the Penelope Sinclair Cozy Murder Mystery series I’ve read.


Shop 'til you Drop Dead #1

Goodreads

Amazon


Dead Man's Hand #2

Goodreads

Amazon


Signed, Sealed and Stabbed #3

Goodreads

Amazon


Scooped, there it is...Dead #4

Goodreads

Amazon


Life of Pie...Cut Short #5

Goodreads

Amazon


Deck the Halls...Dead #6

Goodreads

Amazon


Do Not Disturb...For Good #7

Goodreads

Amazon


Shaken, Not Stirred...To Death #8

Goodreads

Amazon


Legend Has It...Murder #9

Goodreads

Amazon


Well Done and Dead #10

Goodreads

Amazon


Knit Happens...then Murder #11

Goodreads

Amazon



Connect with Tessa Aura

Review: The City at Night (City Ghosts #1) by Ben Onslow

The City at Night

City Ghosts #1

by Ben Onslow

Published: April 1, 2026

Publisher: Range Road Press

Genre: Teen, Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense, Crime Fiction


Blurb:

She survives by staying invisible.


But the city has started to notice.

Charlie knows the rules.

Don’t trust anyone.

Don’t stay in one place.

Don’t get seen.

It’s how she’s survived this long. Sleeping in a parking building, tagging the city in the dead of night, and keeping just one person close, Billy.

But when a chance encounter with undercover cop Matt Reeves drags her into something bigger, those rules start to break.

Because the city isn’t just dangerous.

It’s organised.

And the marks on the walls?

They mean more than she ever realised.

As tensions rise and violence creeps closer, Charlie has a choice.

Keep running.

Or risk trusting someone and step into a world that could destroy her.

Perfect for fans of gritty YA, found-family stories, and fast-paced urban thrillers, City Ghosts: The City at Night is the explosive first novella in a bold new series.

Goodreads ~ Amazon


My Review:

The City at Night is the thrilling first installment in Ben Onslow's City Ghosts series, and I was completely pulled into its world from the very first page.

The story follows a young girl named Charlie, who is forced to survive on the streets. To stay safe, she constantly moves around, sleeping in different hidden spots and never staying in one place for too long. Charlie knows that if she gets too comfortable or settles down in one location, she risks being caught by the police. This constant threat keeps her on the run and creates an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere where danger is always just around the corner.

Because of her harsh reality, Charlie has learned to trust absolutely no one—except for her close friend, Billy. Their bond adds a wonderful layer of loyalty and emotional depth to an otherwise brutal environment.

What makes this book stand out is its incredible execution. The City at Night is a fast-paced read that kept me completely hooked from the first page until the very last sentence. I absolutely loved the gritty, immersive tone of the story, and Charlie’s narrative voice felt incredibly authentic, raw, and compelling.

Ben Onslow has built an amazingly rich setting, and I cannot wait to read the next books in this engaging City Ghosts universe to see what happens to Charlie and Billy next. 

I highly recommend The City at Night to any mystery and thriller fans looking for their next gripping obsession. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy of The City at Night today!


Connect with Ben Onslow

Book Blitz: Echoes of Fortune: Knights of the Golden Circle by David R Leng @RABTBookTours





Historical Thriller, Conspiracy Thriller, Political Thriller, Action Thriller

Date Published: August 18, 2026



What if the Civil War never truly ended, and no one noticed who is now winning?

A standalone thriller. New readers can start right here.

When Professor Jack Sullivan is asked to decode a cipher from the war's final days, he expects a historical curiosity. Instead, he uncovers a thread Jefferson Davis died protecting, a secret never meant to resurface.

Jack, his fiancée Emma Wilson, and former SEAL Steve Johnson are pulled into a hunt more dangerous than any battlefield. From Washington's archives to the back alleys of New Orleans, from the coast of Mexico to the shadowed ridges of Arkansas, every trail leads deeper into the world of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a brotherhood long believed defunct.

But the Knights didn't disappear. They became patient.

For 160 years they studied what force could never win. They embedded themselves in the institutions Americans trust, and waited for the moment when they wouldn't need to seize power. They would be invited to take it.

Now their heirs have risen. A cartel is running weapons north while a cyberattack probes the power grid, and a senator climbs toward power on the fear both create. Jack begins to realize he was never hunting the treasure. He was being led to it.

Joined by Homeland cyber analyst Priya Patel and hunted by enemies he cannot see, Jack has four days to break a design older than anyone imagined before the trap closes around everyone he loves.

 

"The high-stakes, of-the-moment, infiltrated-America suspense simply does not let up." 

— BookLife by Publishers Weekly

 

Some secrets don't stay buried. They grow roots.

Great for fans of Steve Berry and Clive Cussler.

 

Praise for Echoes of Fortune: Knights of the Golden Circle

 

"One part Jack Reacher, one part Indiana Jones... an impressively entertaining action thriller." 

— Kirkus Reviews ("GET IT")

"Leng lets history press against the present, sometimes like a warning and sometimes like a buried fuse." — Literary Titan

 

About the Author

 

David R Leng is the award-winning author of the Echoes of Fortune historical conspiracy thriller series, winner of three PenCraft Awards, including Thriller of the Year and back-to-back Best Thriller honors, two Literary Titan Gold Awards, and a Kirkus Reviews "GET IT" selection.

A lifelong resident of Southwestern Pennsylvania, David grew up in the shadow of the same battlefields his characters explore. He spent summers near the Shades of Death wilderness in western Maryland and has kayaked the Youghiogheny River, where a chance encounter with a stranger carrying a metal detector and asking about Braddock's gold planted the seed for the series.

His debut novel, The Search for Braddock's Lost Gold, follows historian Jack Sullivan into the unsolved mystery of General Braddock's vanished army payroll from the 1755 Battle of the Monongahela. The series has since expanded to the sunken Confederate secrets of Cozumel and the shadowed world of the Knights of the Golden Circle.

When he is not unraveling centuries-old conspiracies, David can be found scuba diving, boating, or in his woodshop. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and family.

 

Contact Links

Author Website

Facebook (David R Leng - Author)

Goodreads

BookBuzz


Purchase Link

Amazon


RABT Book Tours & PR