33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen

 

1939 Brussels and on the eve of occupation, the lives of those in the Beaux Arts building are going to be changed forever, and not for the better.

Starting with Nazi occupation, looming threats, the solidifying of previous unheard of atrocities, the rationing and the build up of mistrust amongst neighbours, friends all with the aim of turning in someone you didn’t like, didn’t trust was becoming commonplace. At the same time resistance to the occupiers was very real, and hiding national treasures was very much the goal of many. 

The story builds up within these eight apartments from betrayal to resilience and the determination to survive.

Emotional reading but any story set in this era was hard reading.

Sent by Grove Atlantic for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Fear Stalks The Village by Ethel Lina White

 

A perfect English village circa 1932. What we expect it to be - requisite houses, the big house, farmers and workers, no dissatisfaction, no quarrels, the old ladies, the vicar, the doctor all holding their special place in society, no one making waves until a poison pen letter surfaces and with it, no holds barred. Someone knows secrets, and will not hesitate to flaunt them, but it is the threat more than the actual which haunts and frightens this charming village.

A study of human nature and how the tide of opinion can change in a jiffy. How people close ranks to protect themselves, the meaness of humanity and selfishness of people when cornered, all revealed in this idyllic village.

The unraveling was not nice, but there was no choice once the letters took hold.

Not a heavy read. Very enjoyable.

Sent by Poisoned Press Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder at the Palace by N R Daws

 

Hampton Court Palace is not the kind of place where you expect to find a lady murdered by a fancy letter opener. When Miss Franklin is found in just such circumstances, the rumors start flying around. Mrs Bramble, erstwhile Court Housekeeper and powers of all, is first on the scene.

Scotland Yard is next but Inspector Cole is no match for Mrs B.  Discerning, sharp and clever and blessed with common sense she is no match for the plodding Inspector Cole.

Filled with eccentric, old ladies who have earned a grace and favour apartment for work done by their husbands, these ladies give the atmosphere to the story and the almost village atmosphere that is brought about by a dozen old ladies with their so active social life and hidden histories and secrets all within the confines of a very small area.

The whodunnit was a sideline to the detective skills of Mrs B who was really clever and unassuming as well. 

Sent by Orion Publishing Group for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Widows Guide to Murder by Amanda Ashby

 

Endearing, eccentric characters (all widows), all quite vociferous in their views was not quite what Ginny expected when she moved to this small village after the death of her husband. Ginny was retiring, not forceful, taking a back seat and quite drab. Getting a job as an assistant librarian was for her a way to assimilate into village life. She didn’t anticipate her boss Louisa being a nasty piece of work but to find her murdered on the second day of her work at the library was overwhelming.

Lots of suspects because Louisa only made enemies wherever she went. The Detective in charge was not interested in theories put by the group of women, however sensible or ridiculous they were. Detective Wallace was also Ginny’s neighbour which did not help as he looked on them all as an irritant.

Complicated scenarios and relationships in this cozy. All the women had distinctive personalities which made for a very united, tolerant whole. 

Sent by Storm Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Undoing of Violet Claybourne by Emily Claybourne

 
1938. Gillian is in boarding school sent by her father who works in Egypt. She doesn’t quite fit in. The girls around her are upper class and seem to belong to another world, very far removed from Gillian’s working class roots. When she is befriended by Violet and invited to Thornleigh Hall, a crumbling mansion Gillian is delighted but overwhelmed, knowing she has to be on guard all the time.

The family dynamics are peculiar - the lady of the house is not keen on education for girls. All she wants is advantageous marriages. The father is kindly, but does not like confrontations and lets his wife have her way, Emmeline the eldest is holding out for a proposal from the eligible Hugh, rich and with piles of property. Laura the second is in love with Charlie, considered not good enough by Lady Claiborne and we have the youngest Violet who is the focal point in the story.

Machinations of a Machiavellian nature on the part of Emmeline who orchestrates it all, followed blindly by the girls, betrayal by Gillian of the deepest kind puts Violet in an extremely bad place. Everyone turns a blind eye to the reality and so many are damaged beyond belief.

The story told in two time frames show the damage that was done which led to the destruction of an entire family. Destruction that was deliberate, homicidal, psychotic and unbelievable.

The author brought the most improbable scenarios to the plausible, absolutely believable

Fabulous story telling capturing settings from the decaying grandeur of the Hall, to destruction of London during the war. The settings play a big role in this story. The characters were a story in itself. Each one was a separate story.

Sent by Sourcebooks Landmark for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

 

No 10 DoyersStreet by Radha Vatsal

 

New York City 1907. A lot of change is coming but for women it is very slow going. Attitudes are archaic and women wanting a greater share of the action, wanting challenging work will find it hard getting recognition and more importantly the permission to do what they want. In this context Archana considers herself fortunate. A liberal father who allowed her to travel alone from India, a husband who accepts a working wife, and in a profession like journalism and however hard her colleagues are on her, she is grateful for the opportunities to report on current matters.

Chinatown has always been a sore point for what it represents. Most people associated it with opium dens, gang warfare and unhealthy tenements. A move by the Mayor to demolish Chinatown is the subject of much debate and Archana is designated to find the human angle. A plot to take away the daughter of one of its leaders was not on the cards . Uncovering this story which led to the inner workings of City Hall, the manipulation that goes behind the seemingly good schemes being promoted for the city are what captures Archana’s interest.

Combining fact - many of the characters are real life ones, and the history of the city and how it ticks forms the setting of the story with Mock Duck, the Thaw murder case and Stanford White being focal human figures. How Archana or Archie as she was known moved in the world of journalism whilst being a woman and a foreign one at that was memorable.

Sent by Level Best Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder at the Orpheus Theatre by Irina Shapiro

 

Second time around for me with Inspector Sebastian Bell and Nurse Gemma. A rare night out at the theatre ends with macabre results. Shakespeare’s lovers Romeo and Juliet are actually murdered in front of a live audience by an audacious murderer. The vials which they drank contained a swift acting poison.

Gemma knows she can get as much information or even more than the police detectives assigned to the case but she knows she is not popular when she does that and she can even put the Inspector in jeopardy where his job is concerned. Gemma working behind the scenes and the Inspector try to bring the strands of the story together. 

The workings and setting of theatre in Victorian times was not very welcoming to the artists themselves, though people flocked to see the plays. The artists knew their popularity was short lived and they had to find a protector as in the case of the women, or salt away as much money as possible. Not a very pleasant future to look forward to.

A well planned and set out detective mystery story. Very enjoyable reading.

Sent by Storm publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.