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.

Two Weddings and a Murder by Alyssa Maxwell

 

Inexplicably Blogger does not permit the cover page on this one.

Phoebe Renshaws wedding day has arrived. A minor blip when Lady Cecile disappears for a while but is found. The lady is forgetful but she is vehement in that she was not offered tea. By whom and when she cannot explain. Everything goes well but the absence of Eva, Phoebes friend and maids beau is not easy to understand. When he brings the news that Chief Inspector is found murdered, it is an uneasy start to a joyful event especially when Miles is arrested on suspicion of murder.

The unmasking of the murderer lies in minor clues overlooked by the Detective and though suspects are there in plenty, the actual murderer had plenty of reason to hold a grudge. This was a pleasant cozy and a good read.

 

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

Murder on the Cornish Coast by Helena Dixon

 

Cornwall 1937. A beautiful village St Maws but Lady Cordelia’s father’s body was found murdered just dumped in the water and Cordelia herself badly injured, discovered in the Nick of time by her fiancée.

Invited by Cordelia to investigate the crime, Kitty and her husband Matt try to decipher whom amongst the guests is responsible. Who had the means and motives, especially since threats to Lady Cordelia continue in the house, despite all being on their guard.

The story was good, the ending was quite a surprise. The setting was picturesque, and the characters were varied.

A thoroughly enjoyable read.

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

A Slash of Emerald by Patrice McDonough

 

I have been exceptionally fortunate to have read books in a row where either the era or setting contributed so much to a story. This was no exception. 

1867 London and Dr Julia Lewis a trail blazer. One of very few female doctors in Britain. Richard Tennant a detective with Scotland Yard someone Julia is very close to. The Allinghams, established family of artists and writers. Like every family secrets galore and the bubble burst when Charles Allingham was discovered dead by arsenic poisoning, seemingly a suicide. 

No clues as to his mental state, no financial woes but Richard uncovers a web of pornography, prostitution, child abduction and more. Involving the highest in the land, there was no way this was going to be easy to cover up or disclose but the end denouement came as a surprise though with hindsight perfectly logical. 

Very well written, detective work impeccable, the mix of feelings encompassing the whole story was excellent reading.

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

The Otger March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko & Liz Parker

 

This was a delightful read taking the reader back to Alcotts original of Little Women. One major difference - the story bypasses the fiery Jo and concentrates on the mild Beth, the conformity of Amy and the routines of Meg.

Meg in a loveless marriage. A partner John who has only just realized what Meg is going through and tries very hard to be supportive and understanding. Meg feels that she was manipulated into the marriage by her mother (and it was cleverly done). Trying to come to grips with the situation as it is, also overcoming an over bearing mother is not easy for the always obedient Meg. We have Beth, sick and looked on as an invalid without a mind of her own. Beth now wants to make her own decisions even in the confined space of her home. Mother has to find a way to deal with that. Then we have Amy’s story which forms the major part of this story. 

Amy is on the tour of her dreams in Europe. Painting, copying and sketching throughout Europe. She is also having a suitor, and she does understand that the entire purpose of this tour is to make an advantageous marriage and redeem the family,  the appearance of Laurie, the boy next door makes her confused, and her feelings veer between the safe Fred and the unpredictable Laurie.

Shades of LGBT very much evidenced in the story, handled well according to the dictates of the time. Feelings of all three girls also very descriptive and gives one a view of the character and strength of each young lady.

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

The Graveyard Bell by Andrew James Greig

 

This is one story where the setting added so much to the story. Scottish highlands and remote islands, some with very few inhabitants, some only with birds - puffins and skuas. Turbulent weather, storms, raging seas and a very hardy people.

Tearlach born on the islands is back at his childhood home. He left years ago and has not returned, not even to sort the cottage out. He has plenty of baggage to sort out. A private investigator he is tasked by Lucy Patterson to find out what happened to her wildlife photographer husband. She refuses to accept that her husbands death was an accident. Within a few days the next death occurs which the police conveniently mark out as an accident and when a young man disappears with no trace, it seems very strange that three suspicious deaths have occurred in an area where deaths like this are rare.

Tearlack along with his assistants Chloe and Dee have to tread carefully. The local police do not like them hovering around and cooperating with them is not looked on favorably. Despite putting pieces of the puzzle together much faster than the local police, Tearlach has to step carefully, dealing with volatile characters.

The story apart from the detection held interest especially the descriptive nature of the islands added so much to the story.  There are side stories of Dee’s past and Tearlach discovery of a daughter hitherto unknown but they were almost distractions from the main story.

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

Shipwrecked Souls by Barbara Fradkin

 

Set in Ottawa, it gives a glimpse into the diverse multi cultural scene that is Canada. An elderly woman recently arrived from Ukraine, Anya is found dead in a lonely alleyway. One clue only, a name written in three languages. No such person exists but that could be simply a change of name to an anglicized version that makes blending in easier. A second death also an elderly man Simon Stone, made to look like an accident is murder. The man has a huge collection of Holocaust connected literature, and now the connections get closer. It also starts getting closer to Inspector Greens own family and tightly hidden history.

A story of murder and cover up. Of Nazi persecutors living a very comfortable life in many countries, but they are also aware that they will be followed and there is always someone looking for justice, decades later. It puts the pursuer in grave danger but by the time, the pursuer is not concerned what happens to him. He has seen so much, suffered so much trauma that death may be very comfortable, after of course what he is determined to do. Anya was looking for family, for comfort. She did not find it but Inspector Green did. 

The story was convoluted with espionage, secrets in government, cover ups and deaths. It was a detailed progression of methodical detection which solved the mystery and the murders.

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

Come Fly With Me by Camille DI Maio

 

1962 and the beginning of the glamorous world of jet setting. Judy and Beverley had widely different reasons for joining Pan Am. Judy to escape an abusive husband and Beverley to avoid being pushed into a marriage by her overwhelming father who expected her to conform to high society norms. Both girls overcame many obstacles - Judy hiding her marital status because married women were not allowed to join. Her husband Henry she knew would not take her desertion well, and she knew he would leave no stone unturned to get her back. Beverley had to prove to herself that she could manage on her own, no easy task for a girl who had endless accounts paid for by Daddy.

We follow their adventures, we see them finding love and we see a tragic end for one and the other growing old gracefully.

The story was an emotional and sensitively told. One was drawn into the glamour of flying (I still think it is so!). At the same time it was a personal story of two very young women who were bold enough to step into this new world.

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

Udaipur absolutely stunning.