Wings in the Dark by Michael Murphy

Hello world! I'm back for today, and this might be a short one because I have some writing to do. But that doesn't mean it's going to be one any less loved.

First, a confession: I used to read James Patterson. A lot. My boyfriend was super into the Alex Cross series and I started reading them out of love, but then I started branching out to Patterson's other junk. Then it happened. That dreaded moment: I fell out of love. Things were stale. The characters were exactly the same as all the other books. It was sad, because I love mysteries and thrillers, and I wanted to find something that gave me that same sense of excitement that Patterson used to give me.

Come on in, Jake and Laura.

Witty and stylish in the classic Dashiell Hammett tradition, Michael Murphy’s latest high-flying Jake & Laura mystery features a Hawaiian honeymoon that’s interrupted when their friend Amelia Earhart is accused of murder.

Hawaii, 1935. Mystery novelist Jake Donovan and actress Laura Wilson are in gorgeous sun-soaked Hawaii, but their best-laid plans for canoodling on the beach are interrupted by a summons from famed aviatrix Amelia Earhart. It seems a local businessman has been gunned down next to her plane. In just days, the famous pilot intends to fly from Honolulu to Los Angeles, making aviation history over the Pacific. But now, without Jake and Laura’s help, Earhart’s flight might never take off. 

Trailing a killer, the newlyweds’ sleuthing leads to a jealous pilot, a cigar-chomping female officer of the “Royalist Militia,” and a notoriously disagreeable lieutenant colonel named Patton. With a sinister killer lurking in the shadows, it’s safe to say the honeymoon is over . . . and the danger has just begun.

I just...I love these books so much.

Jake and Laura are in Hawaii, celebrating their honeymoon, thinking that they can get away from the glitz and glamour of their new lives. When Amelia Earhart calls them, however, they're dragged into a world of murder, seduction, and worldwide problems. Jake has to find the killer of one of Hawaii's top businessmen, all while making sure Amelia's historic flight goes off unhitched. Laura just wants to have a perfect honeymoon with her new husband, taking in the sight, lounging in their cabana, and staying away from prying eyes. Billy, a confused secretary, is thrown in the mix and has to remain calm when he finds out his secret lover may have a few more secrets than he wishes.

At the end of the last book, Amelia Earhart makes a little appearance, and I couldn't wait until this one came out. I was lucky enough to snag this on NetGalley, and I'm so glad I did. This is quickly becoming my favorite mystery series, and for good reasons, too. Jake and Laura are fabulous, because they compliment each other well and always understand the other. Laura is shrewd and one of the world's most highly anticipated up and coming actresses, and she uses everything she has to help her husband solve this mystery. Jake reminds me of Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca: cool, confident, and always keeping his real emotions hidden under the surface. 

The only bad part is now I have to wait for the next one.

This is the third in the series. The other two - The Yankee Club and All That Glitters - are out already, so pick those up! This one doesn't come out until July 14, so I'm trying to give you something that will tide you over until then. These books are awesome, and if you love yourself some historical fiction, go to his website and check him out!

Website: http://mjmurphy.com/

All right, that's all for me today. I'll see you guys Friday. I'll try to update that day, but, if I forget, I'll see you next week!