A Rousing Finale in The Baskerville Affair

A STUDY IN ASHES
Emma Jane Holloway
Random House LLC
December 31, 2013

A Study in Ashes brings to a close the new steampunk trilogy starring Evalina Cooper, niece to Sherlock Holmes and powerful magic user. The Empire has been taken over by ruthless "Steam Barons" who have the populace by the throats, controlling everything by sheer might and their strangle hold on all power sources. The use of magic is a burning offence- or even worse, being sent off to what are known as laboratories for experimentation. Evalina has spent her young life hiding her abilities and trying to become part of the aristocracy. When A Study in Ashes opens, she has been forced into the the service of the "Gold King", Jasper Keating, in order to save herself and her friends and family.

Rebellion in the form of aristocrats, plain working men and women and pirates who follow a hitherto unknown heir to the throne is brewing and comes to fruition in A Study in Ashes.  Fantastic steampunk machines, characters that leap off the page and rousing battle scenes make A Study in Ashes an absorbing read. As with the first  two books in the trilogy I feel that at almost 700 pages it is nearly too much of a good thing. The secondary story involving Evalina's friend Imogen seemed to be an intrusion into the story. Way too many pages were spent on Imogen, slowing down the rest of the action. I was much more interested in the rebellion itself and seeing justice done to Keating and the other Barons. The ending was very satisfactory and leaves openings for further books in the same world which I will be looking forward to.

Thanks to netgalley.com and Random House for an advance digital galley.

RATING- 3.5 Airships

A visit to one of the most charming (and murderous) villages in England

PAGAN SPRING (A Max Tudor Mystery #3)
G.M. Malliet
MacMillan/Minotaur Books
October 2013

Max Tudor, vicar of St. Edwold's (and ex MI5 agent), is enjoying his life in the picturesque village of Nether Monkslip. Church attendance is up and even better, his relationship with Awena Owen, proprietress of the new-age shop in the village, is prospering. At long last the attractive Max has met his soul mate in Awena. His only  real problems are getting his Easter sermon written and the murderous streak which has cropped up in the village since his arrival. Max has been involved in the investigation of two murders in rapid succession.

All seems to be going well until Max's invitation to a village dinner party attended by several newcomers to the village. They are the odious Thaddeus Bottom and his downtrodden wife, Melinda; and Gabby Crewe, a popular hairdresser in the village salon. When one of the attendees is murdered with an exotic poison, Max is once again plunged into the investigation. We learn that the roots of the murder extend as far back as WWII France. The "victim" has a long history of victimizing others and the killer has a motive that I think any one could sympathize with. 

Pagan Spring is, in my opinion, the best of the series so far. As always, the characterization is excellent and the mystery well-plotted. I did know "whodunnit" well before the end, but hoped that I was wrong. There is quite a surprise at the end for Max and Awena; one that will no doubt give Max's Bishop fits, but I am confident all will be well. I recommend Pagan Spring highly for fans of the traditional British "village" mystery.

RATING- 4 Stars

A Charming Beginning to a New Cozy Series

ROSEMARY AND CRIME
Gail Oust
St. Martins Press
December 2013

Rosemary and Crime by Gail Oust combines three of my favorite things: a plucky heroine, quirky supporting characters and food! Piper Prescott, a transplanted Yankee living in a small Georgia town, suddenly finds herself dumped by her husband of 20 years for a much younger ex-pageant queen. So, making lemons out of lemonade, she takes her divorce settlement and fulfills a longstanding dream, opening her own gourmet spice shop. It's a risky plan, since adventurous gourmet cooking is not exactly the thing in the land of fried chicken and pimiento cheese spread. Piper does, however, have a big plan for her grand opening. She persuades a local well-known chef, known not only for his cooking but his womanizing and temperament, to do a cooking demonstration. Too bad that the chef is found stabbed through the heart on the morning of the grand opening by none other than Piper herself. As the person who found the body Piper is the logical first suspect and the town's new Chief of Police thinks she looks good for it.

As evidence piles up against Piper-some planted- she enlists the help of her flamboyant best friend, Reba Mae. These two very accurately describe themselves as the Lucy and Ethel of crime investigation, getting themselves into trouble and driving Chief McBride crazy in the process. Piper is also dealing with a rebellious teenage daughter, her smarmy ex, the attentions of a charming veterinarian and an unexpected attraction to Chief McBride himself . When someone tries to run her down, she knows she will have to find the killer or face jail or worse.

Rosemary and Crime is a charming beginning to a new cozy series. I am looking forward to spending more time with Piper and the quirky citizens of Brandywine Creek, Ga. 

RATING-4 Stars

Wild Justice (Nadia Stafford Trilogy, #3)

WILD JUSTICE (Nadia Stafford Trilogy #3)
Kelley Armstrong
Sphere Books
November 2013



Wild Justice is a fitting and exciting ending for the Nadia Stafford Trilogy- one that fans of the first two have waited for for years. The book opens with a hit that has gone horribly wrong. Nadia goes into a complete tailspin and Jack (her hit man mentor) goes looking for her. When he finds her, he has a "gift". He has found Drew Aldritch, the man who kidnapped her and her cousin as early adolescents. He raped and murdered her cousin but Nadia escaped and survived. The experience scarred her emotionally, plaguing her with guilt and setting her on the path to life as a vigilante killer for hire.

By the time they pay a visit to Aldritch, someone else has gotten to him by a matter of minutes. Jack and Nadia need to find out who and why. Their journey takes them into the highest reaches of Canadian and American power and prestige in the search for a serial rapist and killer; one who has partnered with Aldritch in the past. Nadia discovers much that her family kept from her and much that she has kept from herself about that awful kidnapping. By the time we get to a very satisfying ending, most of Jack's many secrets are out in the open (finally). This is no hearts and flowers ending but a believable coming together of two very flawed people.

I had a minor quibble about Wild Justice while reading. I thought the bad guy almost a cartoon in his arrogance but upon reflection I thought he was probably just what a true megalomaniac looks like, especially one who is a good actor. Serial killers are usually not high profile types, dwelling in the shadows by inclination and necessity, and that was bothersome until I remembered a case of just such a high profile real-life killer in Canada in recent years.

It's a testament to Kelley Armstrong's writing ability that the reader can come to care about two people who kill for a living. That fact is never far from the mind, but one can almost understand. I highly recommend Wild Justice to thriller/mystery fans and if you haven't read the first two books- then you really should!


4.5 stars

Deadly Shadows ( Dylan Scott Series # 6)

DEADLY SHADOWS ( Dylan Scott #6)
Shirley Wells
Carina Press Kindle Edition
October 7, 2013

In this sixth outing of the Dylan Scott Mysteries from Shirley Wells, Dylan is back in Dawson's Clough, going undercover in an operation with the local police. Dylan had participated in another operation when he was still with the London force. The target then and now is Joe Child, sleazy and violent drug dealer. Joe supposedly has gotten religion and now runs a commune that reaches out to the homeless and discontented in the area. Dylan knows from past experience of Joe that he has not reformed and is up to no good. The fact that two young women have disappeared from the commune has prompted the investigation and as always, Dylan won't stop until he gets answers despite serious problems at home.


Dylan is a very flawed, yet likable and believable character. When he gets his teeth into an investigation, everything else gets put aside. Deadly Shadows is a much darker story than some of the earlier books- sometimes it is difficult reading. But overall I like the way the series is going and look forward to the next in the series. I recommend Deadly Shadows to any fan of British mysteries.

RATING- 4 Stars

News from Alaska from the Very Funny Molly Harper

HOW TO RUN WITH A NAKED WEREWOLF
Molly Harper
Pocket Books
December 31, 2013

Molly Harper has been one of my favorite authors since reading Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs. Seldom has a book made me laugh out loud even on a second reading. Whenever a new book by Molly Harper is published I know that I will be thoroughly entertained and finish the book with a smile. How to Run With a Naked Werewolf is no exception even though it dips into some pretty serious issues.

Anna Moder, "Doc", has been in the background of the the two previous Werewolf novels. Physician to the quirky werewolf and human community of Grundy, Alaska, it's been clear that Anna has a story to tell. Anna has fled Grundy when How to Run With a Naked Werewolf opens. She has been running for several years from her abusive, obsessed stalker husband and has very good reason to be afraid. She does not hesitate to assist someone in trouble, however. The consequence are dire for Anna as she loses all the possessions she was able to bring on her headlong flight. Caleb Graham is a bounty hunter, part of the Graham werewolf pack. He seldom needs any help (werewolf strength and all that) but a hunt goes very wrong and he is badly injured. To repay Anna for her help, Caleb replaces her lost possessions and promises to get her to Fairbanks where a new identity is waiting. He just has a few stops on the way for bounty hunter business. Anna has major trust issues and Caleb appears to be pretty ethically challenged so it's a rocky road for both of them.

How to Run with a Naked Werewolf is filled with Molly Harper's trademark snarky humor even though the stakes for Anna are very high. She knows that a confrontation is coming with her stalker; one that she might not survive. The question is whether she can depend on Caleb or does he have underlying motives of his own? Highly recommended for paranormal romance fans who like a dose of laughter along with the romance. I would also recommend the audible audio editions read by the excellent Amanda Ronconi. Thanks to Pocket Books and netgalley.com for an advance digital copy.

RATING- 4 Stars

A Study in Darkness Hits the Ground Running

A STUDY IN DARKNESS (The Baskerville Affair #2)
Emma Jane Holloway
Del Rey Books
September 29, 2013

A Study in Darkness opens just a few months after the events of A Study in Silks. Evelina Cooper, niece to Sherlock Holmes, has been spending some time with her Grandmama Holmes in Devon after being unceremoniously booted out of the home of her friend, Imogen Roth, daughter of Lord Bancroft. The efforts of Holmes and Evelina exposed Lord Bancroft's involvement in the Baskerville Conspiracy to overthrow the Steam Council's stranglehold on the Empire. Her discoveries were disastrous for both Evelina and Tobias Roth, who is now in the employ of that most loathsome of the Steam Barons, Jasper Keating, The Gold King. Tobias has also agreed to marry Keating's daughter, Alice. Evelina is bereft of both Tobias and Nick, her childhood friend.

The action starts when Evelina arrives on the doorstep of 221B Baker Street to find her uncle held hostage by a man with a gun and bomb and ratchets up from there. Evelina finds herself also in the employ of Keating under threat to Sherlock's and Mycroft's life. She finds herself on the streets of the East End and Whitechapel. The year is 1888 and Jack the Ripper is abroad. A Study in Darkness puts Evelina in life threatening danger and only the use of her magic can save her.

Full of battles, pirates, thieves, shady ladies, squalor, sorcerers and very scary automatons, A Study in Darkness is very entertaining in general. However, as in the first book, 500+ pages seems excessive and the action bogs down about the mid-point. It also ends with a double cliff-hanger that I would find annoying, if I did not know that A Study in Ashes is coming in December. The concept is extremely clever and offers a solution to the Jack the Ripper mystery that I doubt anyone ever thought of before! Thanks to Del Rey and netgalley for an advance digital copy.

RATING- 3.5 Airships