Monday, June 30, 2025
The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper
Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King
Saturday, June 28, 2025
The Carter of La Providence by Simenon
The clever Detective Maigret, the one of quiet thinking and few words is in charge but it’s slow going connecting the dots. The patronizing Colonel his aides Vladimir and Marco are the closest suspects as our victim was married to the Colonel and had been on the yacht till she disappeared. Maigret’s investigations cycling up and down the tow path on a rickety bicycle in really bad weather is typical of the plodding detective who has got the bit between his teeth and will not let go.
Descriptive of how life is lived in mid century France on the canals, this was an excellent read. The end was an absolute surprise and a triumph of writing.
Sent by Farrah Straus and Giroux for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Friday, June 27, 2025
A Dead Draw by Robert Dugoni
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
The Curtain Falls in Paris by a Victoria Zackheim
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Silent Retreat by Sally Quinn
Saturday, June 21, 2025
What We Left Behind by Luisa A. Jones
Olive was a soft hearted woman. She herself had suffered abandonment by her family and it was by their choice. She takes in all five children knowing she is in for a stormy ride. Her home always under the condescending patronizing sister Charlotte is going to be hard. Charlotte has a very low degree of tolerance for misbehavior or anything that disrupts her life.
Into this scenario we have teachers and villagers with attitude who do not take kindly to the evacuees, especially the colored children, taunting them and making life difficult. The saving grace is a teacher who accompanied the children, but again he is looked at with suspicion. Half American half Irish does not help in a very insular English village.
The story of day to day struggles of the children, the adults that surround them, the heartache of being separated from their families and the lack of communication is very emotional. Everyone is quite stoic bearing it up as best as they can. But of course, things do come to a head for everyone of them, and they also get resolved.
A warm, emotional read detailing history as it happened in a quiet English village, during a very bleak period.
Sent by Storm Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley
Thursday, June 19, 2025
The Blackbirds of St Giles by Lila Cain
Becoming a part of the underground haven for Blacks in London, Daniel comes to the attention of Elias then faces disaster king of the Rookery. Daniel has no chance to refuse the offer of whatever comes his way and he himself realises he is putting himself in the power of a very vicious, crooked man.
The story of a need for survival, the hopelessness when every card is stacked against you, the bonds of family, and especially the hostile racist element throughout the story. From Jamaica to New York to London the blacks were hopelessly marginalized, although it was their immense work which kept the plantations running and London itself working smoothly. The humiliation that had to be faced were immense and daily in every Black persons life. The hypocrisy of the white men of this generation were unimaginable and there were very few who stood up for the people working under them.
The saga of Daniel his fall and rise is one story, the history of the era covering three countries is another.
Sent by Kensington Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
The Cardinal by Alison Weir
Sunday, June 15, 2025
The Doorman by Chris Pavina
Chicky is the doorman at the old but impeccable Bohemia Apartments. The tenants are rich, mainly white in little bubbles of their own. Staff in the form of cooks, nannies and chauffeurs are Hispanic and there is a sprinkling of black Americans working too. From the onset it seems boundaries are clearly marked, and anyone crossing the line is made to feel uncomfortable. Little difficult to get my head around as I always presumed boundaries had got a bit looser. Was I ever wrong.
Tension in the air and protests planned over the deaths of two Blacks in the city. Irrational shootings. A robbery well planned going wrong resulting in the death of two of the tenants. One disliked intensely. A fabulous cover up and all ends very neatly tied up.
Everyone in the story has secrets. All are under pressure of some kind. However wholesome they appear there are imperfections. There is a lot going on but I found the first few chapters slow going. It caught up to speed and became a roller coaster towards the end, bringing all the strands together very fast.
Entertaining and very good reading.
Sent by Farrah Straus and Giraux for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Friday, June 13, 2025
The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris
The massacre at Little Rock’s which included the murder of her Chinese father was a catalyst for Celia to do something to get justice. Highlighting the case and bringing publicity was not going to do any good as the Chinese miners were considered by the whites to be subversive and dangerous. That they were murdered in cold blood for no reason other than the fact that they were hard working was not a plus in their favor. Celia was then kidnapped and put on a boat to get her out of the way. Her escape and return to Portland is a story in itself. Her uncovering of the high connections to the brothel trade was another.
The story of immense courage and a search for identity, a search for justice is the focus of the story. The romance and the happily ever after is secondary.
Descriptive in every aspect from the hypocrisy of the establishment, to the poverty and the brothels of Portland the story was an intense one. I did not find this an easy or comfortable read, just grateful to be born in present times with no strictures or unfair boundaries.
Sent by Sourcebooks Landmark for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
The Yellow Dog by Simenon (Inspector Maigret series)
1930s France and the Inspector is pulled from Rennes to solve this murder. Seemingly being at the wrong place at the wrong time or mistaken identity seems to be the general way of thinking. But the strange combo of characters, seemingly very different but very familiar with each other strikes Inspector Maigret as odd and he tries to find the reasoning behind this.
The story moves at a slow pace but the elements of revenge and love and murder are hard to resist.
Sent by Farrah Straus & Giroux for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
A Most Parisian Murder by Millicent Binks
What she didn’t envisage was becoming lead detective on murder in this most fascinating part of Paris - the theatre, the chorus girls, the machinations of many striving to be top dog. There are love interests, glamour, history - it is 1930 after all and lots to recommend this as a cozy.
Sent by Bookouture for an unbiased review,courtesy of Netgalley.
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
The Keeper of Lost Art by Lelita Baldock
What follows is the death and deprivation that followed wherever the Nazis went. It also highlights the resistance displayed by ordinary citizens who against the odds, worked in insidious ways to hinder the enemy progress. Books written about this period of history are stark and destructive and it never fails to unnerve because it happens again and again.
The three timelines were difficult to follow (at times) but overall the story was a good one, well told.
Sent by Storm Publishing for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Death on the Island by Eliza Reid
I do like to ring in changes in the books I read and especially change the country settings. Sitting here in tropical Sri Lanka amidst sweltering heat amidst monsoonal showers, the change could never be more different to Iceland.
The novel itself is atmospheric, never mind the land. Nine people getting together, all with diverse interests and aims with a surface bonhomie which does not fool anyone. Everyone is aware that tensions simmer beneath the surface and when one is poisoned in full view of everyone at a public dinner, one knows the scene is set for a lot of deep feelings, animosity and anger.
Secrets abound amongst all and the weather the one thing that cannot be controlled, corals all within a narrow area that endangers all. A second brutal death in a fire shows that the killer is getting desperate and it is only after a departure from the island and then a resummons, where perhaps the killer is lulled into a sense of complacency that he is free, that the final renunciation is made.
A very intense story, culturally diverse, fabulous setting.
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for sending this book to me for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.
Thursday, June 5, 2025
The Hanged Man of Saint Pholien by SIMENON
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
The Beast of Littleton Woods by T E Kinsey
Monday, June 2, 2025
A Fashionably French Murder by Colleen Cambridge