Wednesday, March 27, 2024
The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro
Monday, March 25, 2024
A Deadly Endeavour by Jenny Adams
Sunday, March 24, 2024
Eliza Mace by Sarah Burton & Jem Poster
The 1870s a village on the border of Wales. A family who had money, lands but a wastrel father who has run through every bit of money available. The family is in debt to every tradesman around and even to their employees.
On one of his finding his fortune sprees, Eliza’s father goes missing and since he is a man who is disliked by many for his temperament which was vile, on top of the debts no one is particularly interested in his going missing. Eliza his daughter, is the only one, who pushes the local detective Daffyd to pursue many leads, which she discovers on her own.
Eliza is a force, and goes against all conventional norms of the time, meeting up with people on the estate, visiting the police station on her own and unraveling clues which lead to many being taken into custody. Both the Detective and Eliza realise that they may hang the wrong man if they don’t uncover the actual truth.
The suspect was more sinned against than being the sinner but he did pay the price. He killed Eliza’s father and the jury only looked at that, not the circumstances. Justice was different in those times.
The difficulties a woman faced by being different, unconventional are portrayed very well in this story.
Sent by Duckworth Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
The Other Gwyn Girl by Nicola Cornick
We then go back to 1671 when the castle came into the hands of Nell Gwyn the courtesan of the King. Rose was the “wild” sister, living on her wits, a thief, married to a highwayman and in prison. When her husband is found dead and Rose herself is pregnant, she appeals to Nell who organises her release.
But Nell like Tavy centuries later has ulterior motives. She knows that Rose’s husband and another notorious criminal Thomas Blood attempted to steal the Crown Jewels and that since they were not found, Rose may be the key to finding the jewels. Additionally Nell is being blackmailed because the locket given by the King to her is with Blood and he holds this as a bargaining tool. Nell’s position with the king has turned precarious. There is a wife and a French mistress to contend with.
Fast forward and Jess discovers a pile of old books which her sister wants to dispose of as quickly as possible. Jess discovers the link to both Gwyn girls and researches the history of the time giving an account of the lives of these two women.
Nell was the smart one but I was rooting for Rose the overlooked one. In a similar vein Tavy was beautiful, fabulously rich and self serving. Jess was the reserved one. It seemed like though so apart the women had similar characteristics, brought together at this Becote Castle.
The contrasts in characters, in lifestyles, plus the history all added interest to the story.
Sent by Boldwood Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Don’t Foget Me by Rea Frey
Fast forward and Lily goes missing. Followed by Tom going missing. When Tom’s body is found floating on the lake, suspicion focuses on Ruby. She doesn’t identify the body as Tom, but all her neighbours do.
Is Ruby in a fugue state not able to acknowledge what is in front of her. When one and then another neighbour is found murdered, the focus switches solely on Ruby. Even at that moment three quarter into the story, one would go with the theory that Ruby kills these people while in some state, which blocks her remembering what she has done.
The final denouement is shocking and frightening and a surprise. The dual timelines, the uncertainty of Ruby, the changing face of the immediate characters all created a puzzle.
Sent by Thomas & Mercer for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Murder by Lamplight by Patrice Mcdonough
Monday, March 11, 2024
The Hidden Storyteller by Mandy Robotgam
Saturday, March 9, 2024
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
The Murder Club by Alexandra Ivy
Friday, March 1, 2024
The Last Day in Paris by Suzanne Kerman (Book 1)
Working with the Resistance, Isabella had an ulterior reason for working in the gallery. She wanted to track and save her husbands masterpiece and this she did in the most devious and wonderful way. Fast forward several decades later to a dreary London suburb, and an even more frustrating life, we have Esther Isabella’s great grand daughter, the inheritor of the painting, and the events following which will change her life.
Involving hate against humanity, murder, scheming but also survival, romance and love the story is a remarkable one.
Sent by Bookouture for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
A waterfall called Devon Falls very close to my home in Rozella. The English names are all the remnants of our colonial history.