DEATH BELOW STAIRS
A Kat Holloway Mystery # 1
Jennifer Ashley
Berkley Books
Jan. 2, 2018
Kat Holloway is a young cook in 1880's London who, through hard work and in much adversity, has built a reputation and is in demand. She has specific requirements about time off, and since her new employer, Lord Rankin, agrees with them, she is starting a new job in his household. Her reason for the time off is unknown to him, and Kat wants to keep it that way. She has a daughter who lives with friends. Kat is a no-nonsense young woman who takes control of her kitchen on her first day. But when she arises the next morning she discovers one of the kitchen maids bludgeoned to death. Who could have gained access to the house and killed the girl, who seemed flighty, but otherwise inoffensive? Kat needs to find out and enlists the aid of the capable, mysterious, and charming delivery man Daniel McAdam. Daniel is apparently much more than he seems, but he always is on the spot to help Kat, and he has business with Lord Rankin himself. Kat and Daniel must make their way through a stew of blackmail, financial misdeeds, and Irish terrorism to get the answers.
I had read a short story centering on Kat and Daniel, A Soupcon of Poison, quite a while ago and was looking forward to a full-length novel. The characters are fascinating and the period detail excellent, as in Ashley's other historical series, The Captain Lacey Mysteries, written under her pen name, Ashley Gardner. However, the freedom that Kat has to leave work, even to travel overnight on unspecified errands, seemed unbelievable. And I doubt that any cook, no matter how good, could get away with Kat's outspoken ways. I do enjoy the characters and have formed a connection with them. Daniel is a mystery that needs to be solved in future books. I recommend reading A Soupcon of Poison before Death Below Stairs since it lays the ground work for the series and gives insight into the characters.
Thanks to First to Read for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 3.5 Stars
FLAME IN THE DARK (Soulwood #3)
Faith Hunter
Ace Books
December 5, 2017
The Soulwood series is an offshoot of Faith Hunter's urban fantasy Jane Yellowrock series, set in the same world and featuring some of the same characters. The difference between the two heroines is profound, however. Soulwood's Nell Ingram is a hill woman raised in a polygamous fundamentalist cult, God's Cloud of Glory Church. Women of the church are second class citizens, no strangers to terror and abuse. Nell is a young widow who has left the church, starting over away from her family who remains there. She lives close by on the property that her late husband willed to her. The church does not like that, and previous books have covered the conflict. Nell has an unusual ability; a marked affinity with the land and the plants and animals who live on it. PsyLED, the division of Homeland Security that deals with paranormal crimes got wind of her through Jane Yellowrock and recruited her into their ranks, made up of were-creatures, witches, empaths, and other paranormal creatures.
Nell is now fully integrated into PsyLED Unit 18 after months of intensive training. The unit is assigned to investigate the attempted murder of a Senator, resulting in multiple deaths and a devastating fire. Since the shooter literally disappeared, it is deemed a paranormal crime. As the bodies pile up and fires continue, Unit 18 can't decide whether it is a turf war between paranormals or something even more nefarious. Nell's ability to "read" the land around the Senator's mansion helps them to discover what they are up against. It is frightening and dangerous to all.
Nell Ingram is a unique character, smart, strong, compassionate, determined and possessed of a power of which even she doesn't know the limits. She has come such a long way from the first Soulwood novel, Blood in the Earth. She will never go back to the church but loves her family and has gained acceptance in their ranks. There is even a romance for her among her colleagues that I was afraid ended in tragedy, but Hunter didn't leave us hanging on that!
I highly recommend both Jane Yellowrock and the Soulwood series. I know that I will be re-reading (or listening to the audiobook) before the next is out. Many thanks to NetGalley and Ace Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 5 Stars
OF SPICE AND MEN
Pancake House Mystery #3
Sarah Fox
Random House Alibi
November 7, 2017
Wildwood Cove is looking forward to a visit from Hollywood. A film crew, with several well-known stars, is filming the remake of a cult horror film. Even Marley McKinney, owner of the Flip Side Pancake House is mildly interested, although she is no horror fan. All the crew loves eating at the pancake house so the lead makeup artist, Christine, invites Marly for an exclusive tour. Upon arriving, Marley finds Christine dead and her trailer in flames. The police rule her death a homicide, and Alyssa Jayde, the lead actress in the film, becomes the prime suspect. Further complications arise when Marley discovers that Alyssa is an old flame of her boyfriend, Brett. Marley sets out to find out who the murderer is but there are many people with motives on the film crew. As she learns more about them, it seems that Marley might be the next victim.
I have enjoyed the two previous books in this cozy series. The small town coastal village atmosphere is evocative, and Marley is a likable character. She has a lot of insecurities stemming from the loss of most of her family in an accident that play into her life, and her attempts to overcome them are brave and believable. Of Spice and Men is an excellent addition to the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 3 Stars
THE CURIOUS AFFAIR OF THE WITCH AT
WAYSIDE CROSS (Jesperson and Lane # 2)
Lisa Tuttle
Hydra Books
November 28, 2017
The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross starts with an early hours summons to the door of the residence, and business premises of Jesperson and Lane Investigations. The young man is plainly distressed and babbling about being pursued by witches. He then points at Miss Aphrodite Lane, calls her a witch, collapses and dies in the hallway. The coroner pronounces it a heart attack, despite the young man, Charles Manning, being in perfect health. Jasper Jesperson is of course intrigued and visits Manning's brother. The brother tells him that the two were estranged over a property dispute and Charles was living in Aylmerton. Charles had become involved with Felix Ott, who is a folklorist who wants to bring back the pagan wisdom of ancient Britain. Jesperson and Lane set off for Norfolk to investigate. When they arrive they find a community immersed in superstition with three sisters rumored to be witches and tales of the "little folk".
I waffled quite a bit over the rating of The Witch at Wayside Cross. While I enjoyed the primary mystery of Charles Manning's murder, the secondary story of a missing baby was a distraction for me. This series is centered around paranormal events, but the resolution of the missing baby puzzle severely strained my credulity. Jesperson and Lane are still a bit two-dimensional with little more revealed in this second book. I also missed Mrs. Jesperson, Jasper's mother. Now she is an interesting character! Hopefully, she will return for a third outing and there will be more background provided for the main characters.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hydra Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 3 Stars
A MATTER OF LOYALTY
A Very British Mystery #3
Anselm Audley, Elizabeth Edmondson
Thomas & Mercer, Audible
October 19, 2017
It's January 1954, and there have been leaks of research done at "The Atomic" facility; leaks that have ended up in the hands of Soviet Russia. British Intelligence Agent Hugo Hawkesworth, who works at the center is assigned the task of finding out who is the source. When a nuclear scientist, Bruno Rothesay, goes missing British Intelligence is sure that he must be the mole. When Rothesay's body turns up, Hugo isn't so sure. The scientist was an arrogant serial adulterer who had plenty of enemies, including his own wife. Intelligence and the obnoxious Inspector Jarrett have a culprit in mind, one who has appeared in previous books and is convenient. Hugo thinks he is entirely too comfortable a fit, which puts him at loggerheads with his superiors-again.
All of the residents of Selchester Castle make an appearance in A Matter of Loyalty: Hugo and his sister Georgia, author Freya Wryton, Gus, the new Earl of Selchester, and his daughter Molly, and Mrs.Partridge, the housekeeper. The previous Earl is almost a presence because his misdeeds cast somewhat of a pall over the household even years after his death. Each has his or her part to play in this story, and one's life is brought into great danger. The Very British Mysteries are impossible to pigeonhole, part Cold War spy novel, part historical mystery, and part budding romance. They paint a picture of a Britain brought to its knees by WWII and just beginning to dig out of deprivation, only to be caught up in Cold War paranoia, even in Selchester village.
Sadly, A Matter of Loyalty is the third and last book in the series. Ms. Edmondson passed away leaving only notes and conversations with her son, Anselm Audley, for the book. Mr. Audley has done an admirable job working from their conversations to finish it. While I would have liked to see more of the characters and Ms. Edmonson's plans for them, the ending does not leave us hanging. Michael Page gives voice to the characters and is, as usual, outstanding.
RATING-4.5 Stars
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE CRUST
Oxford Tearoom Mystery, Book 7
H. Y. Hanna
Wisheart Press
October 19, 2017
I am so happy that I discovered The Oxford Tearoom Mysteries and #7 does not disappoint. It's time for the summer ball in Oxford, and Gemma is looking forward to a chance to dress up for the evening and enjoying time out with her CID Inspector boyfriend, Devlin O'Connor. The ball they are attending is featuring an old alumni, celebrity chef Josh McDermott. The four nosy Old Biddies, Gemma's unpaid "help" at the Tearoom are all aflutter about his return, but not everyone is pleased. That becomes clear when Gemma stumbles over Josh's dead body. Since the four Old Biddies consider themselves great sleuths, Gemma is once again drawn into keeping them under control and out of the notice of Devlin. It is all complicated by a visit from Devlin's decidedly unconventional mother, who could not be more different from Gemma's oh-so-proper mum.
Another One Bites the Crust is almost as good as a visit to Oxford in summer with its descriptions of life among the "dreaming spires." The mystery is full of twists, but the real charm lies in the characters we have come to love over the course of the series, and the mouth-watering treats that Dora, the Tearoom Baker, produces. This one includes a recipe for custard tarts, a quintessentially British classic. I am looking forward to the next visit with Gemma and friends. I received an advance digital copy from the author. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
RATING- 4 Stars
DEAD MAN'S CHEST
Phryne Fisher Mystery # 18
Kerry Greenwood
Allen and Unwood
December 5, 2017
After a taxing investigation, Miss Fisher is offered a house in Queenscliffe for a month's holiday. While she is away, taking her adopted daughters,Jane and Ruth, her companion,Dot, and their dog, Molly. The efficient Mr. and Mrs. Butler are left behind in Melbourne to oversee renovations to Miss Fisher's bathroom, and perhaps a holiday of their own. They are expecting to be greeted by the Johnsons, the caretakers of the house. Instead, they find an open door and no Johnsons to be seen. Could it be foul play?
Dead Man's Chest is a romp through 1929 Queenscliffe. Miss Fisher deals with events featuring missing caretakers, smugglers, delinquent adolescent boys, a tipsy neighbor, a new canine addition to the household, the introduction of a new ongoing character, the filming of a movie, a downtrodden ladies companion and a search for pirate booty with her customary panache. She even falls in with a group of surrealists who lend comic relief. Along the way, the Fisher family consume an alarming amount of food, provided by the aspiring cook, Ruth.
As always, Dead Man's Chest is a delight. I enjoy the sly humor and wealth of period detail in the Miss Fisher Mysteries about a time and place of which I know little. Thanks to NetGalley and Allen and Unwin for an advance digital copy of this reprint edition.
RATING- 4 Stars
THREAD THE HALLS
A Mainely Needlepoint Mystery # 6
Lea Wait
Kensington Books
October 31, 2017
It's Christmas in Haven Harbor, ME, seven months after Angie Curtis moved back to her hometown. A lot has happened in those seven months. Angie has reconnected with old friends, made new ones, taken over her grandmother's needlepoint business and helped solve several murders in the small seaside village. She is in a fledgling relationship with Patrick West, the son of Hollywood star Skye West, who recently renovated a local estate. When Skye contacts Patrick to announce her unexpected arrival in Maine for Christmas, bringing her co-stars and writers of her troubled current project with her, Angie's plans are upended. Skye wants everything to be perfect for her guests. Angie somewhat reluctantly agrees to help, despite her busy schedule, and the two transform the estate into a Christmas wonderland. The murder of one of the co-stars and some suspicious Christmas cookies delivered to Patrick threaten the wished-for peace of the season and Angie's future.
The Mainely Needlepoint Mysteries are well-plotted cozies, loaded with local color. For anyone who loves Maine, they are a great "fix" for those who are missing the Downeast way of life. Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
BEST-LAID PLANTS
A Potting Shed Mystery # 6
Marty Wingate
Random House Alibi
October 17, 2017
I am always happy to get my hands on a new Potting Shed Mystery with its mystery, gardening tips and lore, quirky characters and a touch of grown-up romance. Pru Parke is a transplanted Texan whose life dream was to relocate to her mother's native England. Her first year in England was a challenge, but now she has a good reputation and a steady flow of jobs. Not only is she established professionally, but she has married semi-retired police Chief Inspector, Christopher Pearse. All her success comes at the age of fifty-something. Both Christopher and she are feeling the need for a getaway when she receives a request to consult on restoring an Arts and Crafts garden in the Cotswolds. The creator of the garden, Batsford Bede, has let it slide in recent years and needs help. Christopher and Pru have friends in the area and decide to take a working holiday. But, just as Pru makes a start she discovers Bede, dead, under a piece of garden statuary. What was the ailing, elderly man doing out in the garden alone? It also appears that the inheritance of the property is disputed and a codicil to the will is missing. Since the local police force is small, Christopher takes over the investigation.
The Potting Shed Mysteries are a pleasure to read. I am not a gardener, but this series might even inspire me to become one. I highly recommend Best Laid Plants, which can be read as a stand-alone, but why not enjoy it from the beginning,The Garden Plot? Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Alibi for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
An FBI K-9 Novel # 2
Sara Driscoll
Kensington Books
September 26, 2017
Sara Driscoll's second FBI K-9 novel, Before It's Too Late, hits the ground running and never lets up. A woman in the D.C. area is abducted, leaving her dog running loose. Attached to his collar is a coded note with clues to the woman's location and a time limit. The note is directed to Meg Jennings personally. By the time the FBI unscrambles the code and clues, all based on Civil War history and locations, the time has run out. It's too late for the woman, but this is far from the end. More abductions occur, and notes arrive in quick succession, all to Meg's attention. Even worse, the victims are physically similar to Meg. It's clear that the FBI is up against a very organized serial killer; one with a personal grudge against her. Meg decides to take action that might very well cost her career. Against all Bureau policy, she enlists her sister, Cara, a puzzle-solving genius, and Clay McCord, Washington Post reporter and Civil War buff. The three are able to solve the puzzles more quickly than the FBI computers. But Meg can't imagine who her adversary might be, or why.
I liked the first in the FBI K-9 series, Lone Wolf, very much and Before It's Too Late does not disappoint. The action is non-stop, the mystery well-plotted and the characters engaging. The relationship between Meg and her Labrador, Hawk, is healthy and supportive, based on mutual respect and love. It's impressive what well-trained search and rescue dogs can do. I highly recommend the series to suspense fans and anyone interested in the inner workings of the FBI K-9 Units.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING-4 Stars
WEYCOMBE
G.M. Malliet
MIdnight Ink
October 8, 2017
All should be perfect in the chocolate box pretty village of Weycombe where transplanted American, Jillian White, lives with her titled husband in an upscale gated community. There are cracks though, both in the marriage and the village. Jillian was "made redundant" (a kind euphemism for laid-off) nine months earlier from her job at the BBC, and her marriage to Will White is falling apart. But when Jillian discovers the dead body of Anna Monroe, local real estate agent and femme fatale, on a walking path next to the river, all the pettiness, secrets and evil in Weycombe begin to rise to the surface of this tranquil pond. Anna has always wanted to write a novel, so she begins to investigate the murder on her own, with an eye to using the case as a basis. There are consequences for everyone involved.
It's a challenge to review Weycombe without giving anything away. I have enjoyed Malliet's previous books, but this stand-alone novel is entirely different. I was immediately captured by Jillian's acid voice: she is not someone that I would like, but I wanted to listen to what she had to say. It's not often that I can't put down a book, but I stayed up late just to find out what came next. I began to get the feeling early on that Jillian was a far from reliable narrator, but the extent of her unreliability was stunning. The twists and turns in the plotting kept me intrigued until the end. I highly recommend Weycombe for fans of psychological suspense with a dark edge.
Thanks to Midnight Ink and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 5 Stars
THE WITCHES' TREE
Agatha Raisin # 28
M.C. Beaton
St. Martins Minotaur
October 3, 2017
I am a latecomer to the Agatha Raisin series, having discovered them only a few years ago. I was looking for short, undemanding listens and the reviews seemed to fill the bill. I ended up listening to all of the series over time. I often had mixed feelings about them, finding Agatha annoying at times, but entertaining to a greater or lesser degree. The Witches Tree begins with a dreadful dinner party given by the local "wannabe" squire and his flashy wife. The new vicar and his wife, Rory and Molly Devere, can't wait to get home. But their plan is disrupted when they drive by the Witches Tree and see a body hanging from the branches. It's Margaret Darby, an inoffensive elderly spinster and everyone in the odd little Cotswold village of Sumpton Harcourt can't imagine why....or so they say. The Deveres draw Agatha Raisin and her sometimes sidekick, Sir Charles Fraith, into the investigation. Agatha is feeling bored with her usual lost pet and divorce cases, but two more murders and a practicing witches coven add up to almost more than she can handle.
Agatha is a mixture of overconfidence and insecurity, despite great success as a Public Relations executive and now as a PI. She seems to be unable to feel worthy unless she is in a relationship with a man but none of those are ever a success. Her longest relationship has been with Sir Charles, but he is averse to commitment of any kind with the exception of keeping his money pit of an ancestral estate afloat. I admit that I had hopes that he was moving towards realizing how important Agatha is to him, but no such luck. Agatha at least appears to avoid falling for every eligible male she meets in The Witches Tree, which is a welcome development. I do enjoy the sly social commentary that Ms. Beaton injects into all the Agatha Raisin books.
Thanks to St.Martin's Minotaur and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 3 Stars
THIS SIDE OF MURDER
Verity Kent Mysteries # 1
Anna Lee Huber
Kensington Books
September 26, 2017
Verity Kent has been adrift in a sea of alcohol-fueled frivolity since her husband, Sidney, was killed in the trenches fifteen months earlier. Sidney left her a very well off widow, but life seems meaningless. Especially since she has also lost her wartime work with the Secret Service, something of which even Sidney knew nothing. When she receives an invitation to a house party on an island, celebrating the engagement of an old friend of Sidney's she initially refuses. The other party guests are men who served in the trenches with Sidney, most of whom she did not know. Then a letter arrives with a cryptic message: ..." I know the secrets you hide. Why shouldn't I also know your husband's?" Verity knows then that she must join the house party, as the clear implication is that Sidney was involved in treasonous activity. The party guests range from slightly offensive to obnoxious, with intense hostile undercurrents. There is no one that Verity can trust, with the possible exception of Max, Earl of Ryde, and her childhood friend, Tom. But everyone has secrets and some are poisonous.
I waffled quite a bit on assigning a rating to This Side of Murder. The period of time during and just after WWI has always been fascinating to me. The war set up huge changes in the established order, with the wholesale slaughter of nearly an entire generation. The treaties at the war's end and the reparations required from the German people sent ripples leading to the horrors of the 20th century and into the present day. Huber has certainly done her research into the period, but I found it a little overpowering at times. Long explanations of cryptography and ciphers tend to make my eyes cross and seemed to bog down the narrative. I also thought that the supporting characters were not as well defined as I would like. It took me quite awhile to get names associated with characters. On the other hand, I kept reading way past my bedtime and was completely knocked back by the identity of the "mastermind." I also enjoyed the homage to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with all the suspense and ambiguity holding until the end. This Side of Murder promises a series to watch for in the future.
Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
MURDER OVER MOCHAS
A Java Jive Mystery # 5
Caroline Fardig
Random House Alibi
October 24, 2017
Business is good at Nashville's Java Jive Coffeehouse where Juliet Langley is manager and her "best friend" Pete Bennett is the owner. Her fledgling second career as a PI keeps her busy and she is even making progress toward overcoming the crippling stage fright that destroyed her singing career. What could go wrong, right? Trouble comes in the form of Scott O'Malley, Juliet's former fiance who left her high and dry. Scott not only left her for a waitress that worked at the coffeehouse the two co-owned, he cleaned out the bank accounts and emptied their apartment of belongings. The business also failed, bringing Juliet back to Nashville. No wonder the sight of him strolling into Java Jive prompts Juliet to punch him in the nose. He gives her a garbled story of the waitress he dumped her for (and later married) being kidnapped. He has heard she is a PI and asks her to help him find her. Too bad that he drops dead after drinking a mocha that she served him. Now Juliet is the prime suspect.
Murder over Mochas feels like the end of this humorous series. Questions are answered, and the long-simmering attraction between Pete and Juliet comes to a satisfactory conclusion. I have enjoyed all the books and recommend it for a quick read with lots of laughs. Thanks to NetGalley and Alibi for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 3.5 Stars
A PLACE IN THE WIND
A Jimmy Vega Mystery #4
Suzanne Chazin
Kensington Books
September 26, 2017
Suzanne Chazin has taken her personal experience with outreach to the immigrant population and her considerable writing skills to produce a stellar series on one of the "hot-button" issues of the day. Jimmy Vega is a Bronx-born Hispanic cop who now lives and works in the fictional upstate New York town of Lake Holly. After his involvement in the shooting of an unarmed man in the previous book, No Witness but the Moon, Jimmy is on desk duty and keeping his head down. His attempt to keep a low profile goes out the window when a teenage volunteer at the local outreach center, La Casa, goes missing and is found dead in the woods. La Casa is run by Jimmy's girlfriend, Harvard educated lawyer Adele Figueroa, so Jimmy can hardly avoid getting involved. Disaster strikes in the form of a botched surrender and Jimmy is assigned to be the driver for a local politician whose primary focus is immigrant bashing. Racial tensions in Lake Holly, always high, ratchet up to a level that threatens the peace of the community, and Jimmy's and Adele's relationship and careers.
A Place in the Wind takes us deep into the lives and hearts of two undocumented Guatemalan brothers, Wilfredo Martinez and Rolando Benitez. Wil has the protection of DACA, works multiple jobs, goes to school, dreams of becoming a doctor and tries to keep tabs on his brother. Rolando is wounded by his experiences, both in Guatemala and in the US and is a barely functional drunk. This case of the dead girl will throw both into the teeth of an unforgiving legal and immigration system. The characters in this series are extraordinarily well-rounded, and most of them from previous books make an appearance. A welcome addition is Mr. Zimmerman, Adele's elderly neighbor, who is much more than he appears to be. I highly recommend the Jimmy Vega Mysteries to fans of suspense and police procedurals that are firmly grounded in the events of today.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING-5 Stars
BODY ON BAKER STREET
A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery #2
Vicki Delany
Crooked Lane Books
September 12, 2017
It's a busy summer Thursday afternoon at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium on Cape Cod. The co-proprietor, Gemma Doyle, receives a phone call from a timid voice inquiring about a possible book signing but Gemma is fully booked for the summer. Until she hears who the author is- Renalta Van Markoff, author of a controversial, and wildly popular pastiche featuring Holmes and Mrs. Hudson. Gemma and her co-owner, Jayne Wilson immediately shift into high gear to accommodate her; no small matter as Renalta wants to appear on Saturday, just two days away. The flamboyant Renalta comes accompanied by an entourage; her mousy and timid assistant, her publisher, a publicist, an assortment of rabid fans and at least one enemy. Excitement is high, at least until Renalta collapses dead on the signing table. Gemma's customer, Donald Morris, a dedicated and somewhat stuffy Sherlockian is the prime suspect. Donald had attacked her verbally in the Q and A session, accusing her of defiling Sherlock's sacred memory. Gemma doesn't think Donald murdered Renalta, but who did? It's up to Gemma and Jayne to find out, using Gemma's incredible powers of observation.
As a former bookseller and Sherlock fan, I really enjoyed the Body on Baker Street. Most of the authors I met at book appearances were gracious and down-to-earth people who were pleased to meet the fans and made no unreasonable demands. Then there were the one or two who were nearly as demanding as Renalta. The fans sometimes, too, could be a little odd. I'm looking forward to the next in the series and I highly recommend it for cozy fans.
Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
REQUIEM IN YQUEM
Winemaker Detective #13
Jean-Pierre Alaux and Noël Balen
Le French Books
September 12, 2017
The latest case of the Winemaker Detective takes us into the Sauternais region in Bordeaux, where the legendary sweet wine, Sauternes, is produced. Benjamin Cooker should be busy revising his most current wine guide, but when he reads of the murder of a seemingly blameless retired couple in their bed, he decides that autumn is just the time to visit the region. Luckily Benjamin and his assistant, charming Virgile Lanissen, have many connections there. The more they learn, the more they want to uncover the murderer of the old couple. The police arrest a local homeless youth, but Cooker thinks the answer lies elsewhere, perhaps the old couple's grand-daughter or some old enemy.
Requiem in Yquem is another short and entertaining novel in this series, upon which a long-running French TV show is based. The sometimes irascible but kind Cooker and his sidekick, Virgile, use all their contacts and knowledge of wine to solve their cases. I have read the books out of order, but this is the first time I remember them actually seeking out a case to solve. As always, the descriptions of wine, wine making, and food are drool worthy. I always learn a little about wines and how they are made along the way. The characterizations are excellent with even familiar characters adding new dimensions. All of the novels offer a pleasant evening's reading along with an engaging puzzle to solve.
Thanks to Le French Book for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
3.5 Stars
THE BRIGHTEST FELL
October Daye # 11
Seanan McGuire
DAW/ Penguin Books
September 5, 2017
I have followed the October Daye urban fantasy series from the beginning, Rosemary and Rue, and it has been a must-read for me. October is a changeling (half human, half-fae) who has struggled to find her place, both in the mortal and in the fae world. In fact, she is the daughter of Amandine, one of the First Born of the fae, but Amandine has been a largely absent and shadowy figure until The Brightest Fell. The book opens on a happy note, during the bachelorette party for Toby at a San Francisco karaoke bar. The party was organized by Toby's "fetch" May, and it is no matter that Toby and her betrothed, Tybalt, King of Cats, have not even set a date. An uproarious good time is had by all until Toby returns home to find Tybalt there, A knock at the door brings Amandine with a demand. She wants Toby to find August, Toby's half-sister who has been missing for over a century. To enforce her demand, she takes hostages of Toby's nearest and dearest.
Amandine's demand takes Toby and her squire, Quentin, into Toby's past and the rabbit-hole that is the fae realm. Accompanying them is Toby's greatest enemy, August's father, Simon Torquil. There is plenty of magic and mayhem and an accounting of some of the decisions and actions Toby has been forced to take in previous books. The character of Amandine becomes clearer, but whether she is a monster or just nuts is still up in the air. The Brightest Fell foreshadows events to come and I hope they come soon, after time to take a breath. Seanan McGuire has built a rich fantasy world and I think that the series needs to be read in order to fully enjoy the latest novel.
I was delighted to receive an advance digital copy from DAW and NetGalley. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 4.5 rounded up to 5 Stars
MURDER IN MONTPARNASSE
Phryne Fisher # 12
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen Press
September 5, 2017
Murder in Montparnasse takes us back to a time when Miss Fisher was more innocent and less worldly wise, despite her experience as an ambulance driver in WWI. Footloose in Paris, she is intimate with artistic and literary figures, earning her living as a much in demand artist's model, and generally enjoying her freedom. However, she meets a thoroughly evil individual named Rene DuBois and promptly falls for him. Despite warnings from her friends, Phyrne learns the hard way just how wicked Rene is. She escapes him, but the experience colors her memories of Paris ever after. Meantime, her future cronies in Australia, Cec and Bert, are also in Paris with five other soldiers. On a rowdy night, the seven soldiers witness a murder but are too drunk to do anything about it. Years later, two of the soldiers are dead in quick succession in Australia. The deaths are ruled accidents, but Cec and Bert know that can't be true. Phryne is working on another case, that of a kidnapped girl but also wants to help them. The intersection of the three cases brings about some rough Australian justice for all.
I am reading the Miss Fisher Mysteries wildly out of order, but it seems to me that each one can be read as a stand-alone. No doubt it helps that I have seen all the episodes of the TV series. There are differences but nothing that is problematic, at least not for me. Each is a romp through a different time and place, with an unforgettable and unconventional heroine. I particularly enjoyed the integration of real historical figures like Djuna Barnes, Sylvia Beach, and Pablo Picasso. This Phryne Fisher story is a little darker than others I have read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGalley and The Poisoned Pen for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
THE ESSENCE OF MALICE
Amory Ames #4
Ashley Weaver
St. Martin's Minotaur
September 5, 2017
The fourth entry in the Amory Ames mystery series begins in Lake Como where Amory and Milo Ames are on holiday. The Ames are awaiting a visit from Madame Nanette, Milo's childhood nanny. They receive a message from her, canceling the visit and asking that they see her in Paris. Milo was raised by Madam Nanette, rather than his neglectful father, and he is very fond of her. Her message indicates, at least to Milo, that the nanny is worried about something. They take advantage of an offer from a new friend, Andre Duveau, to fly with him in his plane to Paris. Upon their arrival, they find that Madame Nanette's employer, the wealthy and famous perfumer, Helios Belanger, has died after a plane crash that he was piloting.The death was declared a heart attack as Belanger walked away from the crash but died in his sleep the same night. Madame Nanette and Belanger had a romantic liaison in their youth, and she feels that his death might not have been a heart attack. The heirs of Helios Belanger have more than enough motive to go around with an unsettled line of inheritance. Milo and Amory must try to infiltrate the family to get the answers.
There are many things that I enjoy about the series. Weaver paints a vivid picture of the era and the lives of the idle rich. I have always loved the Hollywood movies of the time with their portrayal of the fashions and carefree lifestyles, at least the lifestyles of those who still had money in The Great Depression. It is interesting to read about the perfume industry and the lengths to which some might go to gain ascendancy. However, I find myself losing patience with the marital difficulties of Milo and Amory. I have never trusted Milo with his untruthfulness and cavalier attitude towards the marriage. The Essence of Malice gives more insight into his character and at least his untruthfulness this time was in the service of protecting Amory. There is just too much going on with Milo that needs to be explained. Hopefully, as the series moves into the unsettled times in Europe of the 1930's, that explanation will come.
Thanks to St. Martin's Minotaur for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 3 Stars
GLASS HOUSES
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache # 13
Louise Penny
St. Martin's Minotaur
August 29, 2017
Glass Houses begins with Armand Gamache on the witness stand. No doubt he has been there many times, but never have we seen him give testimony. It quickly becomes apparent that this is no ordinary trial but one that Gamache takes personally. Additionally, the Crown Prosecutor is taking a very adversarial tone with Gamache, oddly because they are supposed to be on the same side. The murder in question is personal for Gamache since it took place in Three Pines. It all began on the day after Halloween of the previous year when the adults of Three Pines have their Halloween party; the night before being reserved for the children. An apparition clad in a robe, black gloves, a hood, and mask appears at the gathering, unmoving and silent. The party breaks up, and the figure takes his place on the green, where he remains for more than two days and nights. No one sees him move and the village is thoroughly unnerved. Why is he there, and more importantly, for whom? When he is finally absent one morning all of Three Pines is relieved, but perhaps one or more inhabitants are especially relieved.
There is always more than one story being told in Louise Penny's long running series, and Glass Houses is no exception.Gamache is a year into his new position as Chief Superintendent of the Quebec Sureté and fighting a losing battle with the opioid epidemic. Drugs are coming into Canada in vast quantities as well as being smuggled across the border into the US. He has had little success and not only the Sureté but the general public is taking notice. Gamache, however, has a plan, one that is shocking in its audacity, setting up a moral dilemma for Gamache and his subordinates. They are gambling literally everything on the plan's success. Louise Penny does a masterful job of tying together the two disparate stories. She uses misdirection but all the pieces are there. When it becomes clear how the events come together and who the responsible party is, I was surprised that I didn't see it sooner. Then I realized that I just didn't want to see it.
Our familiar friends in Three Pines are somewhat peripheral to the investigation in Glass Houses, at least until the explosive end. They are not the focus of the story but as always provide much of the heart. Gamache's colleagues in the Sureté play a much larger part especially Beauvoir and Isabelle Lacoste. Both have risen to higher levels of responsibility and are, on the whole, loyal to Gamache and the plan. A new Gamache novel is always a red-letter event and Glass Houses is one of her best.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Minotaur for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 5 Stars
THE CLOCKWORK DYNASTY
Daniel H. Wilson
Doubleday Books
August 1, 2017
June Stefanov is sixteen when her grandfather, a veteran of the Seige of Stalingrad, presents her with an odd relic and the tale of an "angel" who saved him on the battlefield. His savior dropped the relic, and the grandfather has hidden it away ever since. He gives it to June in the belief that she can find out its secrets but warns her to never show it to anyone. June has become an anthropologist specializing in ancient technologies and while working under a grant from a mysterious conglomerate and examining a mechanical doll, is plunged into a world of violence and beings that she could never have imagined. There are robots, "avtomat," immensely old and powerful walking in her world, and what they are seeking is the very relic she possesses. She is saved from what assuredly would be death by another avtomat, Peter.
June and Peter embark on a trip back in time through Peter's memories ranging from 3000 BC China, the reign of Peter the Great and London in 1725 right up to World War II and the present day. Told in alternating chapters, Peter's life, and that of his "sister" Elena, are a fascinating tale of blending into the human populace with greater or lesser success. However, the avtomat are finally dying out, cannibalizing and waging war on each other. The factions think that June's relic will be the answer to survival.
I have read some steampunk in the past and enjoyed it, but I have to admit that the gorgeous cover of Clockwork Dynasty sold me. It is a genre-bending, high action fantasy read that kept me immensely entertained throughout. I need to point out that there is a lot of graphic violence that should be taken into account by sensitive readers. I recommend it for fantasy lovers of all kinds looking for something different, and those who prefer a strong female lead.
Thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions above are my own.
RATING- 4.5 Stars
HOLDING
Graham Norton
Atria Books
August 1, 2017
Holding is a mystery wrapped in a story of life in the remote Irish village of Duneen in County Cork. Sergeant PJ Collins has been constable in the village for 15 years when a long awaited crime occurs in the form of human bones turned up on a construction site. The very overweight and lonely 53-year-old Collins has always been certain that he could prove himself, if only if he had a real crime. He begins to investigate but has only a short time before the policemen from Cork arrive. In speaking with the villagers, the name Tommy Burke pops up. Young Tommy Burke was supposedly seen with a suitcase boarding a bus about twenty years previously, leaving two young women broken-hearted. An often told story is that of the two girls coming to blows in the street. One, Evelyn Ross, still lives with her two spinster sisters. The other, Brid Riordan, lives in Duneen as well, sunk in an unhappy marriage and drinking herself into a stupor daily. Other villagers have an interest in the bones, and in keeping the secrets associated with them.
While Holding takes the form of a mystery, it is more about how the choices we make, or have made for us, can color the rest of our lives. It is darkly comic in places and heart-wrenching in others. The village itself becomes a character in its own right, filled with all-too-human beings. I was only vaguely aware of Graham Norton's career as a TV and Radio presenter and talk show host, but I am sure that he can expand into writing novels if TV ever falls through for him. This is an impressive debut. Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advance copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
THE PAINTED QUEEN (Amelia Peabody #20)
Elizabeth Peters, Joan Hess
Harper Audio, Narrated by Barbara Rosenblat
July 25, 2017
I was saddened by the death of Elizabeth Peters (Barbara Mertz), not only as it signaled the end of the Amelia Peabody series, but all the many books written in her various pen names. She was an author uniquely beloved by her readers and also her many friends. One of the closest of her friends, Joan Hess, undertook the daunting task of producing a final novel taken from Peters' notes at the request of the family. The Painted Queen is the product of three years of labor by Hess in which she put her own career largely on hold. I think that even with some problems in timelines and characterization, the book is a success. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to try to assume another writer's voice.
The Painted Queen takes place during the 1912 excavation season, just after the Emerson's adoptive daughter Nefret's disastrous marriage and widowhood. Nefret and Ramses, the Emerson's son, are estranged over that episode and tensions are running high. A bust of Nefertiti has vanished, along with the head excavator, and forgeries are popping up all over Cairo. To add to the mix, the family of Nefret's dead husband, the Godwins, are trying to take revenge by assassinating Amelia and Rameses. Never mind that he brought his death on himself. There are a number of them, five of the six Godwin sons, but they are no match for the redoubtable Amelia and Emerson. All comes right in the end, with chases, narrow escapes, and suspense to the last page. Some of the characterizations, especially those of our old Egyptian friends seem subtly off, and Hess's humor is not quite like Peters. Still, I was glad to have this one last adventure with old friends.
RATING-4 Stars
MURDER AT CHATEAU sur MER
Gilded Newport Mystery #5
Alyssa Maxwell
Kensington Books
May 25, 2017
What begins as a routine task for reporter Emma Cross, covering the polo match at the legendary Westchester Polo Club in Providence, RI quickly turns into a story that threatens the elite summer residents. Emma herself is far from routine in the town of 1897 Providence. She is a less well-off cousin of the Vanderbilts who runs her own household, works for a living, and has decided ideas about women's equality. Her relations give her entree into most of the social events that she covers for the local paper, but Emma really wants to be an investigative reporter. When a shabbily dressed woman approaches the wife of RI Senator George Peabody Wetmore and asks to speak with her, it causes quite a stir and arouses Emma's curiosity. Emma becomes involved when that same shabby woman is discovered dead at the foot of a staircase in Chateau sur Mer, the Wetmore "cottage". Mrs. Wetmore denies any relationship with the woman. Neither she or her distinguished husband have ever seen the woman before, and she asks Emma to investigate. The investigation leads Emma into the seamier side of Newport, threatening her livelihood and ultimately her life. She is aided and sometimes hindered by Derrick Andrews, a former romantic interest who reappears in her life, and her friend, Jesse Whyte. Jesse is a detective on the town police force, who also has more than a friendly interest in her.
Murder at Chateau sur Mer is another well-researched and plotted book in Alyssa Maxwell's Gilded Newport series. She takes historical figures and builds mysteries around them without sacrificing accuracy in either history or the manners and mores of the day. This time Emma may have gone a little too far with her disregard for proprieties and may have to pay the price. It's an excellent build-up to the next novel in the series, which I will be looking forward to.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.
RATING- 4 Stars
