A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

 

High fantasy is not a genre I normally indulge in. This took me completely out of my comfort zone as the detailed, inexplicable and complicated workings of this world was slowly unfolding in the story.

A Treasury Officer disappears from a locked room, and the greatest detective of the realm is set to find him. So far the story panned out like any mystery but it stopped there. Very complex, and for a novice reader of this genre puzzling, interesting and oh so different.

I was determined to finish the book, though I did find it hard going, though that is my own fault definitely not the author.

Sent by Del Rey Random House Words for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Impact of Evidence by Carol Carnac

 

Set in Welsh Border country, we are dealing with hardy farmers in a very isolated community. Cut off with heavy snow, now melting into a flood a horrible accident involving a half blind doctor and a young farmer was just that, until the Police discovered that the unknown man in the doctors car also dead, was not dead from the crash but had been killed earlier.

Unraveling clues in a tight knit, very small community was not going to be easy. Everyone was an outsider and despite the doctor driving whilst half blind, no one thought of calling him out or informing the authorities.  Even after his death, the neighbours despite having reservations did not want to point out suspicious ideas they had as to why the doctor chose this remote outpost to live. Investigations move very slowly, but subtly and though in another setting it may have added to the reader being bored, in this case it was just the reverse. The characters, not just the inhabitants but even the detectives serving this area, the setting and the lifestyle added great interest and charm to the story.

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

iver knows your Name by Kelly Mustian

 

We have two timelines here 1930s the Mississippi area and then 1971 North Carolina. Nell and Evie very young children, and Hazel their mother. Always the two timelines makes for an interesting story when you compare lifestyles, attitudes and especially how far women have come in thirty years. 

Nell and Evie discovered a birth certificate thirty years ago in a copy of Jane Eyre. Evie's mother was not Hazel. The two girls vowed never to talk about this. How this discovery would have impacted and changed their lives if brought to Hazels notice is so huge, that it was only realized thirty years later.

The story winds around secrets of Evie’s arrival in Nell’s home, how Hazel became secretive, disconnected from her children and that distance was maintained almost to the end. The reasons of course unraveled and it showed Hazel in a totally different light, protective to the end.

Very atmospheric, with tragic/dark overtones, plenty of history intertwined within the story covering the Depression era. Most importantly very strong women figures in this story.

Sent by Sourcebooks Landmark for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon

 

Jane Treen is efficient, cool and collected. She is a sleuth for the government working behind the scenes, very unobtrusive. When an urgent call summons her to Devon as one of her agents are found murdered, she has to coordinate efforts to find a traitor who can cause mayhem to a network. Her co conspirator Arthur Cilento, recently returned not in the best of health finds Ms Treens ways overwhelming and slightly intimidating. The two have to work together because the deaths keep mounting and it is apparent that the leak is well within their inner circle.

For a few chapters it was slow going and repetitive. Jane’s penchant to smoke indifferent to Arthur’s difficulty with smoke became boring but the book quickened its pace midway to become intriguing as the murders mounted and the investigators tried to keep pace, and prevent more deaths.

Detective genre and espionage the book may be, but it did have a lot to offer history fans.

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

Homicide in the Indian Hills by Erica Ruth Neubauer

 

Bringing all the ritual, the romance and the grandeur of the British Raj, this story though a mystery murder, was evocative of Ootacamund in 1927. The British were in power and they wanted to hang on to it as much as possible. The independent movement had started and it would only gain momentum with the years and there would be protests and bloodshed galore before India gained her Independence.

This story dealt with British government officials bickering for power, and doing everything they could to prevent Indians having any say in formulating legislation. Redvers and Jane newly married have arrived in Ooty. Redvers job is to smooth the way for formulating laws advantageous to the British and keeping India very much in their grip. Redvers and Jane do not believe this is the right thing to do. In the midst of this two murders take place one of a British citizen who is very partial to Indian independence, and the secretary to the Governor.

Trying to find out not just who the murderer is, but also the motive for the murders is important. Besides this, there are plenty of behind the scene activity both political and personal and the couple want to see justice served despite the official coverup.

Very descriptive of the workings, the attitudes of British officers and how the Indians had to almost debase themselves to survive in this era are part of the story.

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

An additional novella at the end of this story, set in a snowy Christmas themed holiday where Redvers and Jane try to protect Redvers father from a bigamist, was a lovely story in itself.

The Runaway Wives by Karen King

 

We having sweltering, humid weather and it’s draining the little bit of energy I had!

I’m late on reviews and for this I apologize.

Dee is looking forward to her sixtieth birthday celebrations ever since she discovered her husband had been secretly planning a holiday break. Imagine the sadness when she did discover that he had forgotten her birthday and had planned a golfing break with his buddies.

On the other side Babs’s husband Geoff after their retirement, is determined to move to Spain and to her horror, without discussing it with her, has met a real estate agent, put the house on the market and arranged tours of property in remote areas of Spain without consulting his wife. To add to her anger, he informs her that the house they live in is his and he can do what he likes.

The two ladies decide unanimously to go on a short break themselves, to an idyllic village by the seaside. They are beginning to to enjoy themselves but each of them need different lifestyles. Dee despite her philandering husbands orders to return, is determined to make a new life for herself. Babs seeks a compromise. Both women show it’s never too late to change the direction of your life and one can make a break from the monotonous, the indifference and inject some excitement in one’s life however old you are.

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

The Versailles Formula by Nancy Bilyeau

Genevieve is now living a quiet life with her young son while her husband is working elsewhere. She was never meant for a humdrum, country living and feels stifled. An invitation to the castle of Sir Horace Walpole to also be a companion to Evelyn her friend and wife of Sir Humphrey Willoughby. Eventually, Genevieve finds out that the request was to be the facade for her to work her skills into finding out what and who is creating havoc at Sir Walpole’s castle, all in connection with a Fragonard painting.

Genevieve is no ordinary Huegenot refugee. She and her husband were responsible for the development of a cobalt blue pigment which was prized and pursued by both French and English, and which finally led to Thomas and Genevieve finding refuge in England. This was on top of the religious persecution at the time.Now Sir Willoughby wants to take Genevieve back to France to discover a spy network. Under a false name and history, Genevieve sets off on an adventure fraught with danger and one which she has kept secret from her husband.

There were many twists and turns in the story, it also seems unfinished. I hope there is a sequel. Mixed with fictional figures there is still plenty of actual history and figures to keep one deeply interested.

Sent by Joffe Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

The Whitechapel Widow by Emily Organ

 

Emily married just four months did not expect to find herself a widow so soon. Neither did she expect to find out that her husband was a no good philanderer who had scammed a gullible young woman for all she had. 1888 London was tense with the unsolved crimes of Jack the Ripper and unexplained killings were rife. William was just one of them. 

Emily was not going to sit back and watch, when she realised that her case was low priority for the local police. Getting together with a former reporter of the local paper, she painstakingly uncovered William’s last few hours and his nefarious activities which led to his death.

The story depicts also the helplessness of women in general, where men controlled their entire lives from behavior to finances and unscrupulous men got away literally with murder. The workings of slums in London are meticulously documented and gives one an insight into how this city operated.

A mystery murder genre with a lot to attract history fans as well.

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

April Fools by Jess Lourey

 

Mira James has unfortunately discovered a corpse (inadvertently of course) every month. As a result her town is getting labeled as the most dangerous in the State and powers that be are not happy. Minnesota has got the nefarious distinction of being the state with very high sex trafficking and now Mira is getting proof that her town is having its own share of predators and victims. Worst of all is the suspicion that her own father, now dead, was also in the Gang of Four.

Also on the trail is Mrs Berns the indomitable old librarian determined to have her share of the action. Despite its serious content and very real tragedy, the story has comedic elements too adding to its charm.

Sent by Thomas & Mercer for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Moonlit Piazza by Annabelle Thorpe

 

Set in World War II in the village of Amatini, we have two distinct groups. The despised Nazi occupiers and the Italian villagers, seething and backed by their Resistance creating minor pockets of revolt. There is also the personal lives of all, because life does go on despite the harshness and cruelty that abound. The love stories and life stories of the inhabitants form a major part of this book.

Things come to a crux when news reaches the village that a munitions loaded train is going to cross a bridge nearby. This is just what the rebels were waiting for. A chance to disrupt the supply and obtain badly needed ammunition. What they didn’t envisage was a traitor in their midst who fed them false information. The train turned out to be carrying POW and Italians and the carnage was terrible.

Finding out who the traitor was, was equally hard though suspicion had centered on someone. Getting it confirmed was a very bitter pill but punishment had to be meted out. The final scene of getting rid of the man who controlled the Nazi occupation in Amatini was a masterpiece of planning and drama.

The story was a harsh one but a realistic one, brilliantly portrayed by the villagers of this town. Germans and Italians both passionate to their cause with an odd exception of a single German in this story, who was helpless but stood against the brutality of the Nazis.

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

Death at Porthcurno Cove by Sally Rigby

 

Porthcurno Cove is picturesque but Detective Lauren did not expect to find two dead bodies on her morning walk. Two youngsters, a bottle of Prosecco by their side and a note saying Sorry. Murder suicide was the natural thoughts of all on the force but slowly a different picture emerges of the seemingly young couples carefree life, holding secrets that their parents were blithely unaware of.

The investigation was slow because no evident clues sprang out. No enemies, no incidents at home or university, no drug problems. The final outcome was startling and ugly. The detective skills were thorough and the story panned out well.

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

My Sister’s Shadow by January Gilchrist

 

1904 and Harewood Hall still lives in a Gothic age. The twin daughters Adelaide and Victoria have only known each others company. Adelaide is reserved and happy to be at home, Victoria longs to leave. They both are petrified of their harsh father.

Forced into a marriage by her father, Adelaide is fearful of her future when she leaves for New York. She is counting on Victoria’s support but Victoria is anything but supportive. The story is a dark one - deep envy from Victoria destroying any chance of any happiness for Adelaide, coupled with her husbands desire for an heir and that he only married her for her dowry.  When Stanley wants to get rid of his wife, he commits her to an asylum, knowing there is no way she can get out. Lord Stanley fully supported by Victoria, who was irrational in her hatred for her sister who had made the society marriage she coveted, and in New York was able to effortlessly be befriended by top society, was just too much for Victoria to handle.

How Adelaide managed to escape and make a life for herself was the only bright outcome in a very sad story.

The 1904 in England was bleak for women but in New York freedom of a kind for women was very evident, especially for those who were rich enough to ignore public opinion. This story dealt mainly with upper class, fabulously rich American women who were far removed from other women of the time. The contrast between Harewood Hall and New York was immense. Two different worlds.

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

Murder at the Loch by Dee Macdonald

 

Ally recently retired is running a successful B&B in the picturesque hamlet of Locharran. Taking her dog for a walk was her relaxing time, finding a body floating of the lake was not.

Hamish the local Earl has just announced his nuptials. At seventy his bride is half his age and the gossip mill is flourishing. He has not been secretive over the fact that he wants an heir, usurping Randolph from getting the title. When the new bride is found poisoned just twenty four hours after the wedding, the local Detective finds everybody suspect, including Ally because she was physically present around when both women died. 

Ally herself an amateur detective along with her partner, looks into all the facts surrounding both murders, very sure that the two are linked.

A very interesting read, set in exceptionally beautiful surroundings. The atmosphere engendered by the castle, the village and the Loch added much depth to the story.

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

The Four Queens of Crime by Rosanne Limoncelli

 

The story involving four leading crime authors of the day Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Marjory Allingham and Dorothy L.Sayers could not be anything but entertaining. Four of them were playing host for a gala dinner to raise funds for charity. Sir Henry Heathcote was the owner of Hursley House where the event was being held and he seemed rather cold over the whole affair.

When Sir Henry was found dead in his locked study, Detective DCI Lilian Wyles has her hands tied. Coming from a different social background to those who were part of the scenario was difficult. No one in the immediate family were willing to speak of the tension and undercurrent running amongst them all. Delving further the detectives felt that the entire family could be suspect, because each one of them had reason to hate their father.

Recruiting the help of the four women despite the other Detective not happy with the idea, DCI Lilian felt that they would look at the mystery from different perspectives. And it worked.

We got to know the four women very well and the story set in 1938 was well told, set against a background of an arrogant, aristocratic family who still felt they could call the tune.

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

33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen

 

1939 Brussels and on the eve of occupation, the lives of those in the Beaux Arts building are going to be changed forever, and not for the better.

Starting with Nazi occupation, looming threats, the solidifying of previous unheard of atrocities, the rationing and the build up of mistrust amongst neighbours, friends all with the aim of turning in someone you didn’t like, didn’t trust was becoming commonplace. At the same time resistance to the occupiers was very real, and hiding national treasures was very much the goal of many. 

The story builds up within these eight apartments from betrayal to resilience and the determination to survive.

Emotional reading but any story set in this era was hard reading.

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

Fear Stalks The Village by Ethel Lina White

 

A perfect English village circa 1932. What we expect it to be - requisite houses, the big house, farmers and workers, no dissatisfaction, no quarrels, the old ladies, the vicar, the doctor all holding their special place in society, no one making waves until a poison pen letter surfaces and with it, no holds barred. Someone knows secrets, and will not hesitate to flaunt them, but it is the threat more than the actual which haunts and frightens this charming village.

A study of human nature and how the tide of opinion can change in a jiffy. How people close ranks to protect themselves, the meaness of humanity and selfishness of people when cornered, all revealed in this idyllic village.

The unraveling was not nice, but there was no choice once the letters took hold.

Not a heavy read. Very enjoyable.

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