The Case of the Christie Curse by Kelly Oliver

 

The setting is exotic 1930 Mesopotamia, present day Iraq. The characters in the story are varied and exciting. Starting with the famed Ms Christie, we have the intrepid members of the Detection Club invited to the digs by Miss Christie because she felt that things were not quite what they seemed. 

What Theo and Eliza expected were exciting finds. What they faced was tensions within the camp, secrets that could break the funding of the group, looting of assets, and eventually murder. There are plenty of suspects but finding the correct one is key. Eventually Theodor and Eliza not only have to find a murderer but they also have to acknowledge their feelings for each other. One feature which was enlightening in the story is the looting of artefacts which finds their way to colonial masters and not to the countries to which they actually belong.

This story is part of a series but does well as a stand-alone.

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

A Field Guide to Murder by Michelle L. Cullen

 

Harry globe trotting anthropologist now retired. To add to his boredom he is suffering with a fractured hip and has at last got a care giver whom he likes. The earlier one was a martinet. Harry also snoops, almost stalkerish but it’s benign. His neighbours aren’t benign though and this very respectable, expensive part of town hides a lot of secrets and even fugitives. 

First the death of one neighbour sends Harry into high speed action, because he is the only one who thinks the death is suspicious, and no amount of providing links to the local Police makes them waiver from their accidental death verdict. The Police do not want amateur snoops interfering with their business but quirky Harry disabled as he is, has somehow persuaded Emma his caregiver who has romantic problems of her own, to join him in his pursuit of justice for their neighbours Sue.

Unravelling secrets in the past of several neighbours puts them right in the middle of toughened crooks but this unlikely interesting generational team is determined to solve the murders. Quirky and funny this was a lovely read.

Sent by Crooked Lane books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

View from my window. 32 degree scorching heat. 

One London Day by Chris Humphreys

 

Severin seems a simple families man. Accountant by profession, members of his local synagogue, keeping his head down. Keeping the books of a rogue group from M15 should have warned Severin not to play any kind of games with the ruthless five. 

Connecting random links starting with Joseph Severins hopeless infatuation for Lottie, who is in love with Patrick an a drug addicted actor, and a Russian escort Sonya who is desperately trying to make up funds needed for her daughters operation in whatever way she could. Joseph hiding the account books with Lottie, put her in direct danger and the killer Mr Phipps. A meticulous and clever killer Mr Phipps would never think he could be thwarted in his attempt to obtain the books but he was by the very savvy Sonya. Espionage was everywhere in the story, spies followed Mr Phipps and the five and the books were duly handed over to people who would follow the trail to mete out justice when they could.

Everything dovetails nicely, lots get killed, some escape (for the moment) ready to face another day. Some have a happy ending and you do cheer for them. Very entertaining read.

Sent by Allison & Busby for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Looking at this picture nostalgic feelings of when I could go travelling again. Just have to wait.

Missing in St Ives by Deborah Fowler

 

Merril had recently moved back to St Ives, idyllic quiet life in Cornwall. Helping out pro bono for various cases she likes the slower pace of life. Her friend Jane, in the midst of a messy divorce asks her to have her 16 year old daughter for the holidays. Not her ideal way of spending her time, she does not want to add to her friends worries and Emily comes to Cornwall. Emily turns out to be grumpy and rude and on her second day disappears from the cottage.

Now Merlin has to face Emily’s parents and the local Police to uncover how an absolute newcomer to the area can be abducted and why. When a ransom order comes in Police realise that their suspects know Emily’s background, her home (in Bristol) and now they have to join the links. The detectives work is excellent, until the kidnapper is shot dead whilst picking up the ransom with the police unaware of where Emily is being held. The only clue from the recording, is the sound of a curlew, found only in specific parts of the vast isolated area of Cornwall.

Alongside this kidnapping, the story of Billy with minor misdemeanours to his name now caught threatening a shop keeper with a knife, totally out of character and now tight lipped with fear, as to who put him up to this. Peddling drugs to very young children, the tragic death of a toddler who consumed the drugs thinking it was candy, the subsequent suicide of a 17 year old who couldn’t live with the guilt of bringing home the drugs, and the round up of the gang responsible for bringing the drugs to Cornwall is the other part of the story. Merlin is the support for Billy throughout the case. I personally didn’t not think Billy’s story though a good one had a bearing on Emily’s story which was a kidnapping and a ransom gone wrong.

Sent by Allison & Busby for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder at the Duomo by T A Williams

 

Oscar is the sidekick but a very important one. Uncovering clues at a vital part of an investigation and helping to push it forward is his specialty. We have his boss the retired English private investigator, who lives in idyllic Tuscany with Anna his partner. The other party is Commissario Virgilio who calls on Dan when an investigation involves the English.

This one was a puzzle. A crowded cathedral, the Duomo. Tristan Angel found murdered in a confessional with professional skill. Tristan, an extremely wealthy arms dealer, secretive and close lipped had come with a bunch of associates to his villa in Tuscany to fine tune business. Whom he was going to meet no one knew, and the investigation is hindered mainly by the lack of general knowledge of the inner dealings of this conglomerate. When a second murder by poison takes place within the villa itself the number of suspects is confined to the associates themselves, and then the third attempted murder which was not successful reconfirms. Now the painstaking background check starts and what links may have been missed.

With accounts of scenic Tuscany plus the mouth watering food, and the mystery murder is very much a page turner. The story held my interest throughout because once the initial suspects became themselves victims, it was not easy to find the actual murderer.

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

Round Up the Unusual Suspects by Elizabeth Crowens

 

A WWII background we have Babs and Guy in their next adventure of being private detectives on a film set. The set is chaotic, the figures are bigger than life, the producers and directors have enormous egos, uncontrollable tempers and three suspicious deaths occur. It is also the story where the two get married for convenience only.

There is the homosexuality theme and the fear of discovery, recruitment to the forces, and the biggest problem for Babs, the internment in camps of people of Japanese ancestry, now considered aliens and enemies of the state. Her attempts to hide Mr Otake are admirable but she is working flat out to solve a murder as well.

The story has a lot going on and keeping track of it all is not easy. It gives a good account of how studios worked in that time, and very little was orderly or pleasant.

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

Tag You’re It by Kerry Wilkinson

 

A reality show. Contestants from 18 to 80. Everyday one person is IT and has to tag someone with a phrase or get someone to do something. The prize money is big, and everyday with one game or the other, the money gets added to. The contestants come from a wide range of backgrounds and very quickly begin to develop small cliques with people whom they are comfortable with but the theme of Don’t Trust Anybody has to apply because almost all are focussed on winning.

When one of their number is found dead, the detectives have a problem of finding out who killed this contestant and why. Secrets so deeply concealed that no one can work out the links within some of the contestants. 

Surprising at every stage, this novel keeps you wanting to know what the end is like. Human nature with all its frailties displayed. A very good story.

Sent by Bookouture for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.