A Letter from Ireland by Ann O’Loughlin

 

Four friends gone their different ways but brought together by the death of one in their group. Her last request that they spend two whole months on the remote island of Scarty to reminisce, rebond and find out about themselves. It is a big ask. Each of them have professional and personal commitments which they find hard to let go, but they eventually do and get themselves to this remote area of Ireland.

The story pivots around Casey but the other two have stories of their own. Each of them have conflicts of being taken for granted, for being cheated on and in Georgie’s case close to bankruptcy. How the issues get resolved through closer introspection and facing up to reality and their own failings, how the second chance life throws at you should not be allowed to go astray, are all highlighted in this story.

Rosie herself had a life and secrets unknown to anyone and that in itself was shattering for all around her. That she could only come out with them after she died, was sad. But that is the story.

An emotional and joyous read at the same time.

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

Death Rites by Sarah Ward

 

Carla, a professor in archaeology has just started work at a new university in Jericho. Still trying to come to term with her husbands suicide, she is sensitive to nuances around her and feels that there is some kind of atmosphere around the faculty.

A murder happens and she is asked for her opinion on random objects found around the victim. Her assessment eventually leads to her pursuance of several other murders of many women, all cold cases except one where a suspect confessed. She feels her views are not welcomed by both her faculty fellows and the powers that be in the police department and she is warned to stop all investigation and not talk about her discoveries. Feeling that she is against a very twisted and clever killer who is killing according to a specific design and one which has bypassed the police who are looking for traditional clues. In this story hints of ancient beliefs, protection against evil spirits, elements of witchcraft are all brought into play adding a diversity to murder investigations.

Interesting twist to the story, I didn’t figure out who the probable murderer was at all.

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

Hometown vendetta by Traci Hunter

 

Luke Steele works as a military aide to the President and due to a terrorist attack has to return to his hometown. Luke has horrible memories of high school and the constant attacks he was forced to suffer as a student. He is now returning for a high school celebration with Special Agent Amberlynn Reiner trying to track down these terrorists who were spotted wearing tattoos and rings connected to Pine Hills school.

He is coming with Amberlynn as his fiancée which he hopes will be a good cover for their enquiry.

The return is not easy and the taunting is continuous. When their car is trashed and when a bomb destroys the apartment they are staying in, the attack seems personal and focussed on running them out of town. Their enquiry seems to be too close to home and although their cover is blown, both of them are committed to the chase. Now the urgency is to find the suspected second car bomb which is targeting the celebration at the school itself.

Highlighting the subject of bullying is a key point in this story as it has molded Luke to what he is today. It is also a worrisome feature in present society.

The element of romance was not overly emphasized and blended into the story.

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

Out of the silence by Marie Theodore

 

The story highlighting domestic violence was brutal but realistic. The extent to which defending lawyers will go to shred any opposition and get their clients to go free to wreck damage on other victims is unbelievable even though lawyers themselves know their client is guilty as charged.

Casimir escaped the justice system once after almost killing a woman. Alexa is going to make sure he doesn’t get away again. This time her adversary lawyer is much more powerful. Not only is he, her co lawyer in the same office but he is known to be corrupt, dealing in drugs and friends with people on the wrong side of the law. Alexa a powerful attorney in her own right takes matters into her own hands to bring both the attorney O’Brien as well as the suspect down. Putting herself in grave personal danger as this becomes a personal battle.

The erotic part of the story did not add much to the book which could have done without it very well but Alexa’s secretary’s involvement showed the human element and how this can be manipulated and used to bring down someone.

Very well told of court room drama and the proceedings that precede a judgement, made for good reading.

Sent by Greenleaf Book Group for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Devil Hath a Pleasing Shape by Terry Roberts

 

Stephen Robbins is rather introverted but a reputation for finding missing persons and solving unsolvable crimes precedes him. It is the 1920s and he lives with his three year old son Luke and a couple who are like family to him. He would like life to continue like this.

The appearance of Benjamin Loftis put paid to that. Owner of a famous and old hotel, the discovery of a naked girl murdered in Room 340 does not do much for the image he is wanting to portray. Business is down and he wants the murderer found. Not easy in a town where racism is high, and tensions run high too.

Fast forward to Stephen’s appearance in town, his investigation which are quiet, but do not go unnoticed by the powers that be aka the local Sheriff who does not like outsiders and has got his suspect all tied up and ready for execution.  The discovery of a second body and a third does not affect the Sheriff even though his suspect is behind bars, because he wants the problem to just go away. Stephen is only interested in getting justice and when nothing works because his suspect is too powerful, Stephen’s takes matters into his own hands.

A very powerful story, very realistic of conditions in the 1920s, epitomizing the hold the rich, powerful and white community had over their neighbours.

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

Murder on the Nile by Verity Bright ( A Eleanor Swift mystery)

 

Blogger does this to me, especially when I want to show a particularly nice cover.

The Eleanor Swift mysteries follow a pattern. Lady Eleanor and her faithful butler generally followed by her coterie of domestics, encounter a sticky situation. In this case a voyage to the Aswan Dam in a less than luxurious craft. The other passengers are a mixed bunch of archaeologists and businessman, all of whom seem shady and who never get their stories straight.  When one murder is followed by another, particularly when Lady Eleanor’s assistance was sought by the murdered man himself, something needs to be done. There is a constraint of time followed by the fact that they are in an isolated town, far from help.

The surroundings are gorgeous, the characters range from the shifty to the quirky and the detective work is done with much flair. It takes the cozy to another level altogether.

The Eleanor Swift stories are very entertaining

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

Flipping the Birdie by S L Woeppel

 

This is not a book I’d normally pick up but I was surprised how easily I slipped into the story.

Birdie has super powers but she has irked many of her bosses, with unruly and uncontrolled rants. Now she is suspended from duty, asked to see a therapist and mend her ways.

A chance encounter sets her on a fresh path, trying to live a normal life, with work and developing friends which for Birdie has always been hard.

The story continues with Birdie trying to balance her strengths with her feminine side, give in to the increasing attraction she has for Aiden and be as normal as a super could.

Interesting take on alternative lifestyles.

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

Where Secrets Stay by CherAnn Wright

 

The story was a good but a twisted one. Plenty of solid characters, especially strong willed women. However it could get confusing with the constant change of place and period. One had to have your wits about you when reading this book. 

Plenty of secrets in this story. Everyone had one. In some cases so buried away that they were all but forgotten till a trigger happened, which brought back memories, mainly horrific. The psychic character of some of the women was very plausible in the context of this story and added another dimension.

Despite the going back and forth between childhood and the present day situation the story held one’s interest throughout.

Sent by Sleuthing Sloth Press for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

The Cloverton Charade by Sarah E. Ladd

Set in Regency England the story of the two antiquities brokers and how the best friends fell apart forms the beginning of the story. Olivia and her sister are left with nothing as their father bequeathed the business to his brother, who through mismanagement has run it to the ground. Lucas has inherited his father’s business also in a precarious financial position.

The approach to Olivia to assess and catalogue Mrs. Milton’s collection is a rare chance to get a footing in the business, and establish herself despite her uncles antipathy and obvious disapproval. Lucas is approached by the nephew of the late Mr Milton to value and dispose of his inheritance. Mrs Milton and the heir do not see eye to eye on how to manage a burdensome estate and both Olivia and Lucas have to keep the purpose of their visit to Cloverton under wraps. A full scale week of entertaining has been arranged which provides the cover necessary for both Olivia and Lucas.

Covering regency England at its best and worst in a descriptive form, we are taken through the jobs undertaken by Olivia and Lucas under the eyes of their bosses, who cannot stand each other. Both have to be diplomatic, especially when Lucas discovers that a lot of chinoiserie is fake and that a scam is going on right under their eyes.

Discovering who was responsible was a difficult job, in the process Olivia loses her job but the romantic angle was just right and the story ends well.

Sent by Thomas Nelson Fiction for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder in Berkeley Sqyare by Vanessa Riley

 

Shades of Bridgerton here adding the beginnings of mixed race and black origin people in society, and the somewhat grudging acceptance of these folks in the community.

Lady Worthing and her cousin are visiting family over the Christmas holidays and accompanied by their friend Stapleton get stranded in Berkeley square due to a huge snowstorm. They did not expect to get embroiled in a series of murders meticulously planned and enumerated in a sequence decimating the eight members of the group one by one. The murders set in rhymes is detailing the manner in which each person will die.

Set in Regency England with its own strictures on what women could and couldn’t do, Lady Worthing has to work as speedily and surreptitiously as possible to save herself and her friend.

There are plenty of stories behind each character - the abolitionist movement, the lucrative slave trade, the revolt in Haiti all add interest to the book. 

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

The Resistance Bakery by Siobhan Curham

Two interesting timelines. Paris 1943 on the brink of being overwhelmed and then the Nazi occupation. Cora lie is a young woman and does not know how the future is going to be. Even though very young, she is a brilliant baker and this is what draws the attention of the Nazi Abwehr who have occupied the hotel she works in, and forces her to continue. Much against her will. She is ready to do her part helping the French resistance and it is through her baking that she does this.

Fast forward to present day times and Raven is sent to stay with her grandmother for a short time. Rebellious and angry at her forced departure Raven is surly and unhappy making her feelings known. A chance reading of a recipe book and journal Raven discovers a whole world of stories behind her grandmothers younger years and together they unravel a story of sadness, treachery, love and change.

The story highlights the ingenuity of a resistance movement and how far the need to survive goes. History particularly the WWII period was harsh and unforgiving and people did survive. People also became treacherous and deceiving and at the same time helped others at great personal risk and the examples of bravery are so many.

An excellent historical fiction read 

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

A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert

 

Eloise, owner of an antiquarian bookshop is on a mission. A recent discovery amongst her mothers effects convinces Eloise, that her mother imprisoned till her death and convicted of her fathers murder, is actually innocent. She seeks the help of two people who could help - a retired librarian and a collector.

Whilst the investigation is in progress and because the case is so old and closed, Eloise looks for the detective who was originally in charge of the case. When he is found murdered in Eloise’s own bookshop, detectives start looking at Eloise as their chief suspect.

How to speed up the investigation and link the clues leading to the conviction of the murderer is Eloise’s aim along with the very reclusive Cam and more intrepid Jane.

Surprising end and leading to the next book (I hope).

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

Her Last Walk Home by Patricia Gibney

 

The story is a common one. A young woman goes on a date, her body found with stab wounds. A second woman goes missing, no body found. I found the lack of communication between these young victims and their families strange. So tight lipped so closed, that it makes the investigation so much harder.

When a third body is found. Emaciated, starved and abused the crime does not fit the earlier pattern.

The investigation begins to find links between the first two women and when the identity of the third woman is confirmed, more links are discovered. Coincidences in a crime investigation are never taken lightly but this one looks like a rabbit warren with clues going every which way.

The story is dramatic and quick, nothing spared so every chapter you’re hit with a different aspect and alternative options.

A very good read. My first from this author, definitely not my last.

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

Death on Dartmoor Edge by Stephanie Austin

 

Juno is a Jill of all trades and is quite busy trying to juggle it all. She also keeps an eye on Maisie an elderly, demanding lady and is soon entangled with her friends nephew newly arrived from London with a  murky past. Arriving in a hamper of used costumes was eccentric, but his story of escaping and the reason he did so, was even more so.

 Ashburton and Torquay were delightfully described, Dartmoor ditto. The moors seem a very apt area if you do not want  much attention drawn to anything nefarious you are up to. It’s quite desolate and lonely but seems very lovely as well.

Juno is the central character in the story and she is pivotal in the detection and solving of the crimes. The story was varied involving blackmail, as well as a large scale smuggling operation carried out in an unusual manner. Plus two murders. 

Altogether a good read.

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

The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber

 

The story was fascinating from several viewpoints. We have Ireland 1920, simmering like a cauldron ready to explode. The IRA and Sinn Fein at loggerheads with the British government who on the outside seem to be like ostriches burrowing their heads in the sand, totally oblivious to the ground situation and the carnage and loss of life on both sides as well as the slow but steady destruction of the Irish economy.

Then we have Verity Kent spy extraordinaire and Sydney her supportive husband. They are there to check on Alex, missing for months, feared dead. Verity wants to verify the facts first hand but she is in dangerous territory, as her presence is looked at with suspicion by the British powers that be in Dublin. Who is a loyal subject and who has switched allegiances in this tension packed country is hard to gauge.

Whilst the couple follow up on leads to check on Alex they also get involved in an enquiry regarding a girls attack and subsequent death. Many of the facts don’t add up but no one is willing to listen or take action when facts are presented. The end of their search was an eye opener for verity and Sydney but at least their job was successfully completed.

Fabulous historical detail, giving the stories on both sides in meticulous detail.

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

Poison in Piccadilly by Kelly Oliver

A series of cozy mysteries but this is good reading as a stand alone.

Kitty and Fiona are friends and when Kitty suffers a attack and subsequently has amnesia not remembering who Fiona is, it prompts Fiona to try to find who attacked Kitty, especially when another woman is found dead at a lunch attended by Fiona.

Set at the end of WWII Fiona has to figure out many things. Is this connected to a spy ring or is it a means of stopping the suffragette movement which is gaining momentum. On A personal level Fiona has to decide between Archie and Fredrick - is she willing to take on the role of stay at home wife after marriage. That is quite apparent if she chooses Archie. 

Many elements made this story interesting. Humour, plenty of secrets, hard to make decisions, distrust.

Altogether a fun read.

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

The House of Lost Secrets by Anstey Harris

 

The premise that we really do not know a person very well, however deep the friendship or relationship is, is epitomised in this story.

Jo thought she knew the Willoughby family very well. Rachel was her soul mate from childhood, sharing intimacies of family, loves and hates and everything in between. Turning up at Clachan to hear what Rachel specifically wanted to tell her was something Jo was looking forward to, with curiosity and trepidation.  She never thought she will find Rachel dead, and her secret that she wanted to share in a series of letters to and from Jo’s mother going back years. More would be spoilers.

Dealing with the frailties of human nature is hard, but where do you start when the person is dead. The story will resonate with many. We discover information hard to digest, both good and bad after a person is gone and it is not an easy task to move on. This was the story of Jo who had to do it all alone, for the first time in her life. And she found the going tough.

Getting her act together, moving forward, coming to terms with what couldn’t be unsaid or undone, forgiven or forgotten is hard.

An excellent read. Tense and emotional.

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

Murder in the Countryside by Helena Dixon

 

Kitty and Matt are on a country drive when Kitty on her way to buy cider comes across a body, brutally done in. When the police arrive and when Kitty and Matt start their own investigation, the number of suspects rise everyday. The dead man was a nasty neighbour, a bullying and abusive father and a drunk in the neighbourhood. 

Asked by the family to get to the bottom of the murder, Matt and Kitty are held back by the lack of alibis for their list of suspects. It is a rural community, with people working alone. When a second death takes place, it turns the investigation upside down. The second death is the person high on the list of suspects for the first death. First father and now son. The investigation now has to look further afield and new secrets keep coming out.

Set in 1936 England,the cozy is set in a time when history was in the making all over the world and in this quiet part of the world was no exception. Aftermath of two wars didn’t make life easier for many.

A very well written and engaging whodunit.

Sent by Bookouture for a unbiased review courtesy of Netgalley.

Missy by Raghav Rao

 

Savi’s beginnings were inauspicious. Her upturn started in the house of the nuns, where she was schooled and learned that keeping her head down was the way to get ahead. Seconded for service to a rich household, put in charge of the youngest son in the house her life seemed ordained for service.

When an attraction to a budding artist got in the way, along with an attempted rape, and deaths, the couple fled first to the coast, then on a steamer to Yemen where Missy and Ananda now with new identities, skipped to America. Fast forward many years, two brilliant children, a flourishing business, Missy has never got over the fact that she is an illegal immigrant in America.

When Arun comes into Shilpa’s life, Missy feels that her world is tilting. Only when Shilpa goes to India to meet the family, does the karmic forces come full circle to reveal that this is the family where Missy and now her ex husband caused mayhem and unimaginable grief when they lost their eldest son in that initial brutal assault. The explanations decades later being accepted by the family of the actual stories of the deaths was the beginning of peace for Missy.

Very descriptive of the domestic situation in the house in South India as well as the situation in America, it gave a glimpse of how hard it is for some to adapt to a different way of life, and also how easy it is for second generation immigrant children to live in the manner born in the new country. The feudal system of servitude which prevailed in rich houses in Asia may exist still on a reduced level though dictatorial attitudes may be absent today.

Engrossing read.

Sent by Hera Publications for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

A Seaside Murder by Alice Castle

Sarah is a retired GP and Daphne is the owner of a tarot shop. The two ladies are poles apart in temperament and looks but they balance each other very well. They’ve had one stint of solving a crime and think they’d do very well at another.

When Sarah finds the dying Aby on Daphne’s doorstep she is determined to find out who was responsible. Despite firm orders not to get involved, the friends embark on this mission not realising the danger they put themselves into when there is a determined and savage murderer in their midst.

Set in an idyllic English seaside town, the small village atmosphere adds to the charm of the story, apart from a very good cozy story.

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

The Paris Understudy by Aurelius Thiele

 

1938 Paris was precarious. Most Parisians thought the Nazi operations was going to be something that would not impact them. By the time it did, it was too late for many of the elite and definitely for the Jews. Madeline Moreau was the current star of Parisian opera, a position she zealously guarded against all newcomers. Her biggest competitor was Yvonne Chevalier, brilliantly talented and poor but kept firmly out of selection for any role, by the powerful Madeline.

When Yvonne does manage to catch the attention of a high flyer in the Nazi regime he promotes Yvonne much to Madeline’s anger and chagrin. The highlight was singing at the Austrian town of Bayreuth for high ranking officials of the regime, including Hitler.  Yvonne sitting down at Hitlers feet was a photograph that went viral, cementing Yvonne’s fate with loyal French who barely concealed their animosity towards her. It also spelt doom for her career post Nazi occupation. It was the final blow in her relationship with her son, who publicly said she was a traitor to her race.

The story is portrayed vividly as the competition for a position. Madeline to maintain her position but for Yvonne it was survival and started as a means of getting her son out of a Nazi prison. Sadly her son never realised the sacrifice she made, but only saw it as a betrayal. The detention and treatment of Jews is also a part of the story, because many artistes were Jewish and those that could not escape, became victims of the Nazi aggression. Madeline helped many, not knowing that her own husband turned informer through jealousy of a former lover. That was another chapter because his denouncement came from Yvonne, not Madeline because Yvonne had proof on paper.

The story was intense and emotional. What else could it be when you are literally dealing with life and death whilst living under circumstances which are precarious and which you know can crumble at any minute.

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

Two Spinsters and a Corpse by Eve Torrington

 

Judith and Miriam are sisters along with their vicar father live in a small village in Regency England. Appearances and respectability are paramount. Judith likes to keep to the rules and Miriam is flighty and very young and resents Judith’s strictures.

The Haddingtons are their benefactors and Judith resents the lavishness of their lifestyle and the manner in which they coddle their daughter. They have bought this estate purely to prevent their daughter entering into an unsuitable alliance.  When Louisa Haddington and Judith unwittingly overhear a murder, they put themselves in danger when they try to track the murderer themselves, because it has to be someone within the family who have gathered for the Christmas festivities.

Detection is hard under the rules applicable to ladies in this era, and some ingenuity is called for. Not an easy task in the circumstances, especially since the families brush their observations away as being fanciful.

The story was a mild cozy.

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

Murder in the Scottish Highlands by Dee McDonald

 

Ally has realised her dream of opening a small bed and breakfast inn in a small town. She looks forward to her guests but her introduction to the hospitality world was brutal. Her first guest was found brutally murdered in her backyard.

The arrival of first the brother of the deceased followed by the fiancée of the diseased causes confusion to the local police who seem confused enough as it is. The late Wilbur antagonised the entire village by laying claim to the title of Earl plus the extensive acreage he owned. The American wanted to convert the grounds into a pleasure park and practically the entire village would be homeless. It kept the field open for any number of suspects. When the driver of the Earl also dies in a car crash, where his brakes had been cut one feels the tension build up in the village. Ally herself has started her investigation and leans towards different suspects.

The actual plan and suspects were surprising. Ally sorted it out eventually. Detection was slow and any progress was minuscule on the part of the police. The atmosphere, attitude and gossipy nature of the villagers added interest to the story. 

A very nice cozy.

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

Count Their Graves by Jennifer Chase

 

Detective Katie did not expect anything on her morning run. She and her dog Cisco encountered a little girl deep in the forest, terrified and sobbing. Further on a house reveals four murders meticulously and neatly carried out, the entire Banks family gone.

When a second family is discovered also killed in a similar fashion, the entire community and the police force are put on full alert. What are the links between these two families, seemingly very different from each other. Most importantly it is important to rule out a serial killer before he strikes again.

The detection continues and uncovers so many links between these families but was there enough evidence to commit murder. A family in witness protection was the first clue but the final reveal of the murderer was unexpected. (Like all good detective stories it is the unexpected which adds interest to the story).

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

Cause of all Causes by James Marinero

 

Abu Ben-Zhair a terrorist wants to bring the West to its knees. He succeeds with his first attempt which left everyone in disarray. His grandiose scheme is now to attack a fault in our earths structure, near the Canary Islands which will trigger a massive tsunami reaching even the American coastlines.

A mix of unbelievable science experiments, brilliant brains Ben Zhair puts his plan into action. The story is quite unbelievable, which makes it probable and possible! Very tense the story delves into the mindset of a single minded person whose memories of childhood trauma has triggered his hate.

Disturbing but very readable, this was a deviation from my normal reading genres.

Sent by Wavecrest Communications for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Kidnapped Prime Minister & The Tragedy at Marsden Manor by Agatha Christie

 I was lucky enough to download a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie, from Amazon.   

They were both very short, succinct and very much to the point.

In the first at the end of World War II the BritishPrime Minister is kidnapped on his way to an important conference in France. Hercule Poirot is called in (reluctantly)by the British powers that be and in 24 hours, the mystery is solved merely by Poirot using a method of logic to solve the crime. All ends well.

In the second we have a young beautiful widow. Her elderly husband has died in an open and shut case. There is a substantial insurance settlement. Poirot has been called in to check whether it was a suicide which will void the insurance claim. Poirot realises very early on that the case is not straightforward.

There are several others which I look forward to reading.

The Hierophant Card by Bevan Atkinson

 

The second in the Tarot Card mysteries .

Thalia is the prime suspect in the death of her husband. Alternately denying that she had anything to do with it and then wishing him dead is not the ideal way to deal with suspicion. Bryce a nurse walks around with a fatal dose of drugs in a syringe, waiting to hasten the death of those whom he thinks should die asap. We have a girl friend of Thalias husband vociferous and demanding on the scenes and we have our tarot card reader who is expected to soothe calm and redirect Thalia to a state of reasonable thinking.

The complicated killings and the tarot card reader bringing a sense of order to the mess are quick and easy to read. The secondary characters here are bigger than life and also quietly absent from the main action in the story, at the same time. If that was possible. Very interesting reading.

This review does not go on Amazon, though I’d like to post there,  because they don’t permit me to post as I have not purchased stuff on Amazon. 

A Study in Stone by Michael Campling

 

Dan is a corporate burnt out wanna be. Alan is a laid back writer and a third grade former teacher. Bumping into each other in rural Devon was good for both of them. Dan was a little less obnoxious, condescending and a prat in Alan’s company.

Their accidental enquiry into a so called Roman antiquity set them on a path totally unrelated, upsetting the local powers that be and setting a major wrong, right.

The mystery was not complicated, one led to another in a nice sequence which are two detectives followed, ruffling the local gentry but solving a mystery. It was the two characters who gave the most interest to the story.

This was a free download from Amazon but the irony is that I am unable to post my review on that site!

The Forgotton Italian Restaurant by Barbara Josselsohn

 

The series is about three sisters and I came in only for the last one dealing with Emilia, the youngest of the three. It does very well as a stand-alone.

Told in two separate time lines we are dealing with Italy under Nazi occupation,the mass persecution of Jews and life under very trying times. We move onto present day America, and Callie finding a box of unknown trivia - all talking about a restaurant in Cacciupulia, and people unknown to her. Determined to get to the bottom of this mystery she flies to Italy to unravel a mysterious and unbelievable story.

Full of historical detail, apart from the family saga which in itself was complicated and heartfelt, one is drawn into the maelstrom of what Italian society became once it was occupied. Daily life, suspicion of neighbours, the betrayal by who you thought were friends, and the hardships of the ordinary man are highlighted here. How they circumvent the rules laid down by the Germans was a highlight too.

A very good read sent by Bookouture for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Emperor Card by Bevan Atkinson

 

My apologies to Netgalley and Electra Enterprises of San Francisco for my tardiness in reading this book and reviewing it.

Xana returns one evening to find a murdered man in her backyard. The police find out that he is actually Xanax fatter and find it hard to believe that she did not recognise her own father whom she and her family believed died years ago. Fast forward to the investigation that she does privately, very thoroughly and precisely, uncovering a trail that the police are far behind, discovering a mining operation which is duping investors and finding her fathers murderer in the process. The Tarot cards were a way for Xana to interpret her feelings for what was happening around her.

Xanas siblings all pulled together, trusted her with the enquiry, despite her mother who was superficial and only wanted to be socially acceptable.

I enjoyed Xanas character and how she very quietly went about what had to be done to find justice for her father.

Sent by Electra Enterprises for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

A Proper Facade by Esther Hatch

Mercy is in her Third Season and this slightly tricky. Her parents have never pushed her into an alliance but they seem on edge and though nothing brutal is said, they seem to be tired of her indecision and there is tension in the household.

Mercy has seen marriages working out on deep love like her parents and also her sister and she wants the same for herself. When the Duke of Harrington shows interest, she is disappointed at his clinical approach to marriage. He wants someone who will fit an image of a Duchess, he wants to get rid of his mother to a dowager house but he realises rather late he wants the passion of a strong relationship, but he either doesn’t know how or is curtailed by standards of the time to show his true feelings to Mercy.

The story goes on with a bit of blackmail from his former lover, the Lady Plympton who is determined to get him back,  a sister who elopes with an unknown composer, the fall from grace for Mercy’s family but the story ends neatly - love conquering all.

The characters were strongly portrayed, not at all insipid or missish and that was refreshing.

Sent by Covenant Communications for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

How To Solve Murders Like A Lady by Hannah Dolby

 

It was tiresome for Violet to be a Lady Detective in 1897 England. Thwarted, deliberately ignored as being not having intelligence to understand criminal matters was bad enough, but she also had to accept that if she wanted to succeed, there were many situations where a man by her side was necessary. Her fiancée fitted the bill perfectly. Understanding Violet, not pushing her to set a date they seemed to be the perfect combo, working harmoniously, though this too did not sit well in their community.

The murder of an outspoken lady draws the couples attention but is ignored by the authorities and they have to work surreptitiously to see that justice was done.

Descriptive especially of the social norms of the time, this added interest to an otherwise average cozy.

Sent by Aria & Aries for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder in Portafino by T A Willia

 

This story set in stunning surroundings so beautifully descriptive that one gets a bit side tracked from the detective murder mystery that the genre actually is.

Armstrong with his girl friend is on a long planned weekend in the seaside town of Rappallo along with the faithful Oscar, when first one case and then the second fall into his lap literally. One a missing girl, quickly found fortunately and the second the dead body the couple find, and arguments overheard which may be linked to the case, followed  by  another murder which upsets who the murder suspect may be .

Set amongst celebrities on a luxury yacht, with tensions in the group simmering just beneath the facade, the story brings into play another Detective from the Portafino police who I hope will reappear in another story.

Very good, light reading and very entertaining.

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

It Was An Ugly Couch Anyway by Elizabeth Passarella

 

The stories deals with what life throws at you and in this case a nine foot monstrosity of a couch which Elizabeth hadn’t the heart to throw away. She kept the fabric. She threw out the couch.

Not a very easy read, the stories highlight the choices one has to make throughout your life. There is a slight religious overtone which did not offend me, but it may others. The importance of letting go highlighted here, the very insidious attachment that one develops to inanimate objects too. There was manipulation too in trying to get the coveted larger apartment in NYC which was not very nice reading too!

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

Courting the Virgin Queen by Carol Ann Lloyd

A controversial figure who never expected to rule the country Elizabeth I ran a ring around her court, her courtiers and many of the rulers of Europe. She was the focus of many countries who knew that access to the Queen would mean many advantages for their own countries. The religious differences. Between the Protestants and the Catholics was another reason that countries did not want to see the ascendancy of England.

Elizabeth walked a tightrope to the end balancing the need for what was good for her country, putting aside personal gratification (in public). In private the rumours were varied and colourful.

A good story for those who like Tudor England and its history.

Sent by Pen &Sword for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder at Cleve College by Merryn Allingham

 

Flora and Jack have just got married and a dead body is found in the village and Flora, wedding or not can’t let it go.

The dead man has not much history to go on, but closer investigation unravels a past going back several decades, and another death which was passed as nothing unusual and a number of innocuous characters and events, nothing unusual but all linked. 

Jack has just started working at Cleve College and nothing prepares him for the animosity and hatred of its caretaker Miller and the repeated attempts to hurt and eventually kill Jack.

To link the murdered men with Miller who also gets murdered and finding a suspect is a complicated one, but it does get sorted out.

Very Agatha Christie in style and especially the 1958 setting, makes for a nostalgic read.

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

The Bookseller of Paris by Suzanne Kelman

 

No book set in a WWI or WWII setting is not intriguing. Each story with the background of the Resistance in whatever setting it is, has its human story of courage, endurance and loyalty to the country of their birth. This was no different.

Set in 1940 Madeline runs a bookshop in Paris but she can see the troubling signs ahead. She has lost her husband Alex and is struggling to live without him. A letter arrives from Germany indicating that Alex has a son Kurt, and this is heartbreaking news for Madeline who only then realises her husband has had secrets kept well hidden. Determined to do right for the boy, she embarks on a scheme of using her books as a cover to get into Germany and rescue Kurt.

Fast forward and Olivia discovers a cache of letters and photographs of her great grandmother Ada with a high ranking Nazi officer and her estranged grandfather Kurt also in the pictures. Trying to put the pieces of the jigsaw together and acknowledge that she may herself have Nazi ancestry is a hard pill to swallow.

Like Madeline, Olivia sets out on a journey of discovery to put the record straight and reconcile with a grandfather who up to now has not wanted any contact with the family.

A very emotional, heart breaking story of a family.

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

The Trial of Mrs Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce

 

In 1924 Alice born to immigrant parents always considered herself white, despite the fact that her father was of Jamaican origin. This whiteness was always emphasized by her mother. Meeting Kip Rhinelander, and marrying him was bold by society’s standards especially since Kips family never ever would accept the marriage and were determined that the couple should divorce.

The marriage, the scandal and the tumultuous divorce that followed is a true story. It showed the sheer determination of the Rhinelander family to disassociate themselves from Alice Jones, and no amount of lawyers or court rulings were going to sway them. It did not help that Kip himself was weak, did not know how to live as a working man, nor could he stand up to his family.  The Rhinelanders were overwhelming.

The conflict went on even after Kips death because his wife was determined to fight tooth and nail against any settlement, however meager to his ex wife.

The story outlined how weighted the system was against anyone not white, and the damage and emotional stress that the entire Jones family underwent during Alice’s ordeal. The story is told in two timelines when Alice’s niece takes up the narrative in 1941.

Recurring themes prevalent in society today of racism and bigotry amply spoken of in this story.

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

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen

 

Liz Houghton wants to do investigative journalism. For no fault of her own, she has been relegated to obituaries. She is not giving up the fight though. When a little girl goes missing, and there is a sighting of her, Liz joins her police friend Marisa and the wary DI to unofficially go behind the scenes to find the girl.

When the conversation turns to three little girls who went missing during the war, Liz’s interest is piqued, whether there are any links. Liz also wonders why the village of Tydeham and especially the abandoned area (requisitioned by the military) brings back a flashback memory of her as a two year old. Equally perplexing is that her flashback leads to the discovery of a body and the strange news that her father insists that she had never visited this part of England as a child.

The story has several strands woven together with Liz as its focus. The present day disappearance of Lucy and the hidden story of Lucy’s mother. The disappearance of three little girls and the fact that it is a cold case now after decades of investigation, the romance that arises between James and Liz and the fact that Liz’s childhood was built on a facade of lies, leading to the murder of a young woman and later Liz’s own mother,  that Liz’s father feels that it is all perfectly justified because he just wanted to protect his wife (and their reputation). It is a lot to put together in one story but it is a cohesive whole. 

The settings were very descriptive and characterization was spot on.

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

The House on Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards

The author has a series of historical crime which involve Rachel Savernake, a quiet retiring woman whose very clever skills of deduction, along with the enthusiastic support of Jacob, a young journalist seem to find answers for the mysterious and complicated situations they encounter.

1930s England is our setting and Rachel is invited for an exhibition of wax sculptures from the Master of Surrealism Damaris Gethim. Her need from Rachel is strange and straightforward. She is assured that she is going to be murdered very soon, and she wants Rachel to find out who murders her and bring them to justice.

The story is intriguing. The murder takes place that very evening where Damaris is guillotined in front of a big group of invitees. Rachel starts her investigation and she has to go back in Damaris’s life decades and meticulously uncover who Damaris’s long buried enemies were and why they acted as they did.

The story was intense, detailed and the characters of Rachel and Jacob who complemented each other and had ample support from the secondary characters in the story.

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

Blogger again did not allow the cover photo to appear on this post!

 

Murder In Punch Lane by Jane Sullivan

 

The setting of Melbourne 1863 alone was rare. The setting of theatre and the life that went on in theatres at the time was similar to theatres elsewhere. Actresses were popular, sought after but not quite polite society which was a sad reflection for the time.

Marie St Denis dies of a supposedly laudunam overdose. Her best friend Lola who was present is the only one who believes it was a murder and not an accidental death. Finding someone who’d believe her, and more importantly help her to track the murderer is impossible, despite the clues she has that everything is not quite what it seems.

It was an interesting mystery and the background setting made it even more so. The characters themselves seemed a bit too simple but it was probably the way people acted at the time.

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

Secrets of Rose Briar Hall by Kelsey James

 

The early twentieth century NewYork is the setting for this dramatic story. Young Millie of new money, is married to the charismatic, rich and handsome Charlie. Very early on in the story we see Millie subject to what was euphemistically called fits of hysteria, to cover all forms of mental aberration and at this point Millie is definitely bound for an institution, courtesy of her husband.

The story reveals itself at that point. Charles infidelities, his murder of his mistress as she was pregnant and wanted marriage, the scandals that ensued with Millie’s so called mental illness, the cover ups mainly in the society they lived in, the hypocrisy of friends and sadly the hypocrisy of Millie’s own family who not just turned their back on her but also cut financial support. 

For a young woman, delicately brought up to face society without family or financial resources was an improbable task. That she did was admirable. With the help of a man whom she knew, and subsequently became her lover she tried to get a divorce and though the jury ruled in her favour the judge who was so adamant in his anti divorce sentiments ruled otherwise. Millie then took matters into her own hands because there was no other way out.

The story of an unfaithful husband was not an uncommon one. Women were expected to turn a blind eye, provided they did not neglect their families. Women were not expected to handle finances and were thus seen, especially wealthy women as pawns in their husbands hands. They not just took over their wives monies but squandered it too. Divorce was a very rare possibility so that you were stuck in a marriage for life, however hard it could be. Very few women found a way out.

Apart from the story of young Millie, the story highlighted the social norms of the day making for very good reading.

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