The castle in tge Glen by Rhys Bowen

Iris Blackburn is a world famous author facing a problem of a fading memory. With a novel half written, she employs fellow Australian Emma to research the story on the island of Skye and write the rest of the mystery. The year is 1964 but Emma has to back in her story telling to 1904 to a suspicious drowning of a couple, with a deliberate sabotage of their boat and the consequent disappearance of a young man who was the chief suspect.

The story is so vivid both in the telling of the actual murders, lifestyle of 1904 and then moving to more modern 1964, where old practices and ideas still live on in the memories of people, of the attitude of the rich and powerful of yesterday still continuing today and how they like to keep secrets hidden, just to m

maintain the facade of respectability. Revealing a sad story of the deaths in the past and the actual history as of now, the connections to Emma which were carefully researched and taken into account, when choosing her as a ghost writer form a convoluted, unbelievable but beautiful story. As is usual for this author.

Sent by Lake Union Publishing (many thanks) for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

Learning to Breathe again by Tonya Cam

 

1933 America. Women still followed their husbands wishes and Mary and Elena did just that. Mary fearful for her daughter’s life because of advanced bronchial disease and Elena who was a city girl and had not known anything other than the bright lights of Miami.

With Janie’s death life changed for Mary. Her hopes and dreams were dashed and her stay in Clewiston, sugarcane growing country was hard. Herself afflicted with asthma, the burning of the sugarcane made her breathing more difficult. On top of that Elena now with a new born washed her hands off any work connected with her baby and both Mary’s and Elena’s husbands thought it nothing that Mary should take over all the work. The rift in the marriages were growing wider. In Mary’s case her frustration that she could not pursue her studies, and in Elena’s case an extra marital affair. 

The story of loss, grief, frustration at what life throws at you, and a theory that everyone is not born maternal is markedly depicted in the story. This just Book One of the series, which ends on a hopeful note so I am looking forward to Book Two to see how the characters develop from there.

The lack of communication between the four main characters led to silent conflicts with all four not knowing how to deal with each other.

An interesting read sent by Victory Editing Netgalley Co op for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Clockmaker’s Murder by Emily Organ

London 1889. Horace Whitby a highly respected clock maker was found murdered by Charlotte Mellor, who was herself in the time keeping business of selling accurate Greenwich mean time to banks and institutions. Charlotte had come apparently seeking Mr Whitby’s help in resetting a clock. The Mellor family was in the same business and now Charlotte continued the tradition. There was ill feeling and resentment on Mr Whitby’s side towards the Mellor family and this was the chief reason for Inspector Harris to make Charlotte his main suspect.

Charlotte appealed to Penny and Emma the two lady detectives, who had solved crimes before but she was not truthful with them and they discovered discrepancies during their investigation. Their attempts to get into the Royal Observatory was difficult and they used fictitious names and an organisation that did not exist to get into the place and observe people and surroundings that they felt were relevant to the case. 

When a second murder takes place Penny’s husband from Scotland Yard is roped in and together they try to find out who would benefit most from the murders.

Complicated plot, wonderful characters,  a Victorian lifestyle beautifully described make up another captivating story.

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

Sycamore Gap by L J Ross

 

Detective Chief Inspector is never going to have a quiet life. When he thinks one hurdle is behind him he is forced to face another.

This mystery murder is set in Northumberland, alongside the ancient Hadrians Wall and brings the Detective in directly confrontation with the historians and archaeologists and worse his own Police Force with their own agendas. A body is found within the Wall itself and it has been there for ten years. Identifying it was not long in coming and then the dots start to get connected with a serial murderer who is notorious and is in a high security prison. A second copycat killing shows a killer who is determined to out manoeuvre the Police. The detection has to be carefully followed because Ryan does know that opponents to him are within the Department and though most imagine The Circle (The cult which has caused them grief in the past is dead and buried), it is very much alive and wanting to consolidate their position.

A touch of romance adds another genre but adds to the overall danger because it becomes a tool for the opponents to manoeuvre a situation to their advantage and highlight the weaknesses of the Chief Inspector.

My second read of this author within a week but it still held my interest very much.

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

The Brothers Shaughnessy by James Snyder

 

1880s New Orleans was rough. Rival gangs, a hugely corrupt political and police force and distinct divisions in a society marked by the very poor and the very rich. Life went on, but the undercurrents of murder and mayhem was high.

The brothers with a rich Irish background, brings a mystery to life. Working in unorthodox ways but trying to set a right is not easy and there is heartbreak ahead for one of them. The rival gangs were a tad confusing at the beginning, but sorted itself out as you read. There is a sequel which I am looking forward to as there is some closure necessary.  The story gave the reader a no frills perspective of New Orleans at the time.

Sent by Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Heavenfield by L J Ross

 

DCI Ryan has got an anonymous message giving him details of a meet up at a very isolated church in Heavenfield. He finds a murdered man, known to him and then becomes the chief suspect in a murder.

Unsettling as that may be the systematic killing of people connected to a cult called the Circle, Ryan finds himself as a target himself. Speed is of essence to uncover the chief in the cult, and this is no easy task because it has permeated even the Police Department at every level.

The combination of strong characters, the deviousness of the plot, the almost gothic descriptions of the church and its environs adds to the heightened tensions in the story. Adding touches of humour and deep senses of loyalty within a group adds realism to the read. 

Part of a series and I was lucky I read the previous story but it does not do badly as a stand alone.

Extremely tense, one cannot wait to see the outcome.

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

Hail Holy Queens by Chris Mcginley

 

1887 Berkshire. A convent isolated by winter, unprecedented snow but continuing their normal life under the dictatorial supervision of Mother Superior. 

Their lives are disrupted by the appearance of beasts of almost demonic proportions and appearance. Their lives are nuns are attacked and with the initial deaths, the group of quiet nuns turn into a fighting force, they become the hunters and unleash almost super human power on the destruction of these beasts.

The story is loud and violent and the setting was epic. Related by Henrietta who has been dumped there by her husband (convents were convenient places to get rid of unwanted relatives) and she describes each encounter really well. 

Sent by Lee Matthew Goldberg for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.