The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson (The Agathas book 1)

 

“Last summer, Alice Ogilvie’s basketball-star boyfriend Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. But now, another one of Steve’s girlfriends has vanished: Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex–best friend. And it doesn’t look like Brooke will be coming back. . .

Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she just might be able to prove her theory.

In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need--the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone that can teach the girls how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.” - taken from Goodreads.

Alice Ogilive returns to the halls of Castle Cove High School on Halloween after disappearing for five days and finishing her house arrest. Behind in her classes, Alice’s parents hire a tutor for her, fellow classmate Iris Adams. Far from being two peas in a pod, Alice and Iris soon bond over trying to find out what happened to missing classmate, Brooke Donovan, Alice’s ex best friend. With the help of Agatha Christie, the girls are convinced they can discover who killed Brooke while proving Steve Anderson’s innocence. But Castle Cove holds its secrets close and the closer Alice and Iris get to the truth, the more danger they find themselves in.

Book two, The Night in Question, is out now.

Visit Kathleen Glasgow’s website.

Visit Liz Lawson’s website.

Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson (Sorcery of Thorns book 1.5)

 

“In this sequel novella to Sorcery of Thorns, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas must unravel the magical trap keeping them inside Thorn Manor in time for their Midwinter Ball!

Elisabeth Scrivener is finally settling into her new life with sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn. Now that their demon companion Silas has returned, so has scrutiny from nosy reporters hungry for gossip about the city's most powerful sorcerer and the librarian who stole his heart. But something strange is afoot at Thorn Manor: the estate's wards, which are meant to keep their home safe, are acting up and forcibly trapping the Manor's occupants inside. Surely it must be a coincidence that this happened just as Nathaniel and Elisabeth started getting closer to one another...

With no access to the outside world, Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas - along with their new maid Mercy - will have to work together to discover the source of the magic behind the malfunctioning wards before they're due to host the city's Midwinter Ball. Not an easy task when the house is filled with unexpected secrets, and all Elisabeth can think about is kissing Nathaniel in peace. But when it becomes clear that the house, influenced by the magic of Nathaniel's ancestors, requires a price for its obedience, Elisabeth and Nathaniel will have to lean on their connection like never before to set things right.” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a great glimpse into the lives of Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas since the conclusion of Sorcery of Thorns. Will Elisabeth and Nathaniel be able to break the curse on Thorn Manor and can the two of them finally decide to be together? This novella was a nice wrap up of these characters. 

Visit Margaret Rogerson’s website.