Investigating a death at a remote Scottish castle with a storm setting in and the owner aggressive, rude and overbearing was not how DI Anna envisaged Christmas to be. With a pre meditated, brutal murder at Dumfala Castle, resources limited due to the holidays and many secrets hidden, this is not an easy task.

Robert Fairlie is obsessed with restoring the castle and wants to keep the murder under wraps so that the deal he is negotiating with a TV company is not jeopardised. He is a very harsh man and the list of suspects multiplies by the day. Facing severe blizzards two detectives have to deal with a killer on the loose.

Beautifully descriptive of life in a remote island, this story showcases the best of a British cozy.

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

Writer in Residence by Rhonda McKnight

 

It was the setting of Low Country Carolina, the culture of the Gullah that made this book different. Alexandra is having severe writers block and a forced retreat seems to be an option to get her in a writing spirit. Meeting up with Gabe and the rest of the Gullah community helped her to settle down and be a part of a community, long denied her.

Discovering her roots certainly helped and she had to understand why her mother hid so much information from her. It was not easy to forgive or forget, but Alexandra wanted to move on. Forgiving the omissions of the past helped her to forgive and start writing again.

An almost coming of age story, simply narrated.

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

Kailasa Temple, fabulous carvings, a three kilometre walk. Here for a couple of days.

The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller

 

1880s Ohio and the harsh but realistic story of Mary, Ida and Anna at Oberlin, indicates how fortunate I am to be born in present times. Three women of colour, the only obvious thing they had in common. Their backgrounds were very different both socially and financially. What they shared was a yearning for education which was just the privilege of a few coloured folk, and the desire to be a catalyst for change.

Following their careers at Oberlin - the blatant discrimination they faced, the racial taunts at every turn, the bias of the faculty who turned a blind eye to what was going on under their noses was a travesty for equality and justice. For those like Anna who had come out of enslavement recently, the changes were hard to follow through after decades of oppression and fear. For Mary, with powerful backing and supportive parents the transition to face danger head on was something Mary enjoyed as a challenge.

I read the book in one sitting, and the Authors Notes were very good reading and explanations of a history that may be forgotten or ignored as part of Black History. The marginalisation of communities in this case by colour was horrific, debased and humiliating. It continues in various degrees all over tge world to this date.

Excellent reading.

Sent by Thomas Nelson Fiction for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley. Thank you to all.

In the Midnight Hour by Darcy Burke

 

Lady Cartwright loves books and has found a personal she considered a kindred spirit in her own neighbourhood. Finding him murdered didn’t do her any favours as she was the last to see him alive, and even more so when his last will left his fortune to her. Lord Northwood, another neighbour is attracted to the Lady but first he wants to help her clear her name. She is the sole suspect so far.

Detection in Victorian England worked on a different method. There were lots of subjects too delicate for the females, despite said females having to face male oppression, improper behaviour and the like.  Uncovering what goes on in the murdered baronets house made one realise that more than one young maid servant would be happy that the man is now dead.

Working with the coroner and Bow street runners, the duo somehow become privy to more information than what is officially known and solve the crime. There is an unusual twist in the tail at the end.

Very well told, and descriptive of Victorian lives.

Thanks to Oliver Heber Books for sending this book to me for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Millionaire Waltz by Anthony Quinn

 

Edie is attracted to the “different”.  She does not fall into the role of debutante, dutiful daughter though tge facade of dutiful fiancée is maintained for some time. Her heart is not in her engagement and her fast approaching marriage, to the confusion of her fiancée, her mother and her annoyed mother in law.

Edie gets involved platonically with several men, who are closet homosexuals ( for the time it had to be) but her sympathies are very much for them. Edie wanted a working life and she found that in the theatre. In small parts but she was happy that she got what she worked hard for. It was not a job that people of the upper classes did, and the story highlights this lifestyle as against the more mundane working middle class. Edie was light hearted and did not come across as condescending but she did not treat people as well as she ought to have.

Embodying 1920s society whirl it was in stark contrast to the aftermath of WWI and the struggle and heartache people were trying to get accustomed to.

Sent by Little, Brown Book Co. UK for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The River Runs Black by Tessa Wegert

 

Alexandria Bay is a small town near the Canadian border. The death of a sixteen year old sent shock waves through this town as this was something not commonplace here. When a massive stocks of drugs was discovered coming over from Canada, it sent the police force into a sense of euphoria, that at last that they were helping to make a dent in the horrific trade. However, when investigations proved that the drugs that killed Drew Fielding were different from the massive haul, Detectives now faced a very difficult fact. That two sets of operatives were working in this town and the fact that they got away with it for so long, rankled with the detectives.

What followed was a painstaking detection programme, uncovering blackmail, trafficking, abduction, murder and cracks within the police force itself. It was no longer a small town affair, the effects were rippling in bigger and bigger circles.

Dark and very tight paced it was a very good read.

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

The Heiress of Northanger Abbey by Nancy Bilyeau

 

Catherine Tilley is very settled in her life in rural Gloucestershire. Happily married with two young daughters, she wants a similar happy life for her girls. Decades ago her life was disrupted by the Thorpe brother and sister who destroyed her mind but fortunately she found peace with Henry Tilney. Catherine is now horrified when Isabella Thorpe appears in Bath, and her daughter befriends Catherine’s daughter Phoebe. The duo become inseparable much to Catherine’s dismay, but it is only she who suspects Isabella’s motives in befriending her daughter.

When a letter inviting Phoebe to remote Dartmoor is extended, Catherine flatly declines to send Phoebe but eventually gives in accompanying her on this long and arduous journey. Throughout and during the stay, Catherine feels that a plot is in the air, and definitely not for Phoebe or Catherine’s good. When her fears are realised, Catherine must use her limited resources to get them out of danger. 

The story deals with young women at the mercy of greedy men, only intent on the dowry that they bring.  In this story an illicit relationship which already existed between Isabella and Lord Pomeroy, where Phoebe was to be the bait as well as the cover for their relationship to continue. Both parties had no scruples in involving others, and in Isabella’s case even coercing her children in pursuit of her wishes.

The dangers that young women with good fortune faced was very real and that may be the reason for such strict protocols in place. Amply emphasised in the story. A very intriguing story.

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

Weligama Bay, Southern Coast of Sri Lanka.

The Shadow Friends by Tess Gerritsen

 

Ingrid and her former co workers now live a quiet retired life in a small town in Maine. The death of a former defector cum world famous authority on infectious diseases from Ebola, is not of concern especially as he has just returned from Africa. Investigations show he was murdered and when a waitress nearby is found murdered in a particularly brutal manner the former band of spies are alerted that maybe a Russian killer is amongst them and targeting Ingrid in particular.

The story goes back to Amsterdam so that is where Ingrid and a former colleagues (former lover) goes. Tracing a minute clue with no apparent links but in the absence of any other clues, they start the pursuit of whoever is behind the killings. 

The pursuit is relentless on both sides and the entire group joins in pursuit of Ingrid, to help out and safeguard the entire club. Their retirement is put on hold and they are all back in the
game.

Very good look at how espionage works today. Another good read from this author.

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

The Case of Bingley’s Missing Aphrodite by Emma Aubrey

 

I like almost all variations of the Pride & Prejudice theme. This was different and it was such a lovely read.

Mr and Mrs Bennett are deceased, the property has been entailed and three of the Bennett girls are living with a distant cousin in London, in respectable but impoverished conditions. Elizabeth is up north, working as a governess. Bingley has lost a very valuable statue and through a series of coincidences, reaches out to Mr Bennett to help him find the statue. The change in scenario, came when Darcy joins Bennett in the Sherlock Holmes style of detection, with many twists and a murder thrown in for good measure.

A further twist and a very pleasant one also happens and readers will be surprised how the tale turns.

A must for Pride & Prejudice fans.

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

The Rayburn Affair by Laurie Petrou

 

Ruth Morgan is desperate to obtain tenure. Struggling mentally and overburdened with questions regarding her future, she fears the worst. Until she teams with the golden couple Oscar a star in his own right and the glittering comet by his side, the darling of the writing world his wife Shelby. Immediately things begin to move for Ruth. The aura enveloping the couple covers her too. Ruth feels confident, feels that she can take on the University and also write again.

Shelby offers a path that Ruth has not even thought about before with her writing dreams. One that she has to keep secret till the big reveal. The story delves into AI with its very wide ramifications. What is real. What is manufactured by a bot. Where does human effort figure in writing? The human element is it getting phased out? Is the human even necessary?

All this and more takes you down a rabbit hole. On the periphery is human envy and jealousies, female friendships when they get too intense and relationships in general.

A read that gets you thinking.

Sent by Verve Books for an unbiased read courtesy of Netgalley.

The Country House Murders by Friday Turner

 

Wartime Britain was a dangerous place to be. Incessant and unexpected bombing raids by the German 

 Fleet made Polly’s life as an air raid warden a trial. Constantly seeing sudden death, destruction of property and the sense of hopelessness and futility would drag anyone down. Polly was stoic and got on with it until she met the charming Freddie, drunk and doddering on his way to a nightclub, when the sirens went off and she dragged him protesting to a half bombed house for safety. The nightclub was bombed, everyone died and Freddie realised that Polly had saved his life.

Offering her a job, they then embark on an adventure to mark out properties suitable for use as field hospitals or convalescent homes. Arriving in a fairly huge state house, where the occupants are known to Freddie was easy. The sudden death of the head of the house was unexpected, particularly because only Polly felt it was suspicious. The local Bobby brushed it off as accidental after too much booze, the widow was nonchalant about the affair and his son after a stint overseas and on Home Leave couldn’t care less. When the second death occurs of a person, closely connected to the first victim, the idea of accident is against mooted.

The detection by Polly and a reluctant Freddie continues, uncovering a black market operation cheating the government on a massive scale involving a very senior government official. The officials have now got to sit-up and take notice of facts.

The story apart from the mystery and murder was so descriptive of wartime Britain. The endless rationing, the distinct demarcation between the classes which the upper class were hanging onto for dear life and the emergence of women going out to work in factories for the first time.  Very good reading.

I hope a sequel would clear the mystery of Polly’s mother.

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

The Bravest Hiur by Anna Lee Huber

 

Verity Kent, is an extraordinary agent working for British intelligence. Escaping the trial in Belgium and Germany, underrated by many of the men working with her, as well as her bosses, her real talents are highlighted in this story.

November 1920 Dublin not the best place to be. She and husband Sidney are amongst enemies, personal ones and Lord Ardmore is treacherous and protected by his title. She has flouted his planned attack by phosgene on an unsuspecting public, and he is not a man to forget. Taken in for questioning, tortured and imprisoned this time at the notorious Castle, she and Sidney have to work through friends on both sides to stop Ardmore.

The Irish Rebellion was harsh. No holds barred. The ordinary man suffered in random attacks of revenge and the death toll was high and destruction of people’s livelihoods was rampant. The Government turned a blind eye and media coverage was one sided. If a publisher decided to be truthful, he was severely dealt with. It was a Nazi style state. One which the average person outside Ireland was unaware of.

The story described as historical fiction is full of facts as well though our chief characters may be fictional. Moving and extremely well written story.

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

Miss Morton Takes tge Waters by Catherine Lloyd

 

Set in Bath, the idea is to help Mrs F improve her health both mentally and physically and Caroline feels that the move is a good one for them both. Her boss is forthright and is not affected by the airs and graces of the ladies who look down on her for her “industrialised” origins. 

A murder in the same block of flats of a Lady who was rude and unpleasant sets the two amateur detectives in full investigative mode, much to the Inspector in charge. He seems ineffectual, unable to look beyond the actual facts to the histories of the various people involved or the nuances of the characters and it is upto the two ladies to connect the dots in what is quite a convoluted case.

Apart from the murders, and the detection there is a lot going on, on the social side and the sulphuric air and steamy baths add to the description of life in Bath. All adding a great deal of interest to the story.

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

The Whitechapel Mystery by Tessa Harris

 

Combining plenty of horrific murders, set in the time of Jack the Ripper, the story brings to life the history of Whitechapel, of how people survived despite the squalor and poverty of the time, and mirrored the terror faced by working women who did what they did to just survive.

There was one more strand which made it different from other Ripper stories. It brought in a genre of spiritual mediums into the story with the very plausible flow of messages from Emily, a teacher to Constance a young girl who was stronger in character and tenacity and who proved to be a conduit as a medium.

Victorian England described well.

Sent by dp books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder Stage Left by Verity Bright

 

Lady Eleanor her husband Hugh and Clifford the butler along with their entourage have descended on Stratford upon Avon. Everyone awaits a play of Macbeth with a brilliant new cast. They certainly did not expect the burning of the theatre, a murder and loss of priceless artifacts.

Like most murders, all the suspects have “histories” which they’d like to hide, links between them that they’d also like to keep quiet about. An arsonist amongst the suspects adds to the complications in the case, along with an antagonistic Police Chief who does not like having the trio around.

With lots of humour and plenty of good food, the detectives go to work to solve the murders. Always a bright read despite the deaths around.

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

Sisters at an Exhibition by Claudia Hagadus Long

 

A heist, a forgery of a sketch by Caravaggio and two sisters who pull apart but fiercely loyal to each other. A mystery how the sketch goes missing from a highly secured facility, its appearance and then the forgery. The FBI involvement, amusing the bungling and then everyone appearing in Alsace, where all the villains are.

Fast paced, very interesting and conveying the strong bonds of family over riding everything else.

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

Dramatic rocks called Lovers Leap in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.

Murder in St James’s Park by Vanessa Riley

 

I am trying to vary my reading by going into more modern settings for the detective/mystery genre but I seem to getting into the Regency or Victorian era more and more.

1807 and Lady Abigail wants nothing more than to have her husband out of her life permanently. She did not want to be the one to find his body in the park, murdered. Clues left behind seemingly point to Abigail being the main suspect. No small detective herself, Abigail must use all her wits to find the murderer, especially when the ones plotting her downfall are her own family.

With a regency setting and mixed race ancestry in the story, it features abolitionists, the history of slave plantations and the mystery of what James was actually involved in. Fast paced and quite out of character, the women in the story are very different.

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

Killing in the Countryside by Maria Malone

 

Of all things Sergeant Ali and her help Wilson are being called to help out with a pride of peacocks who have shifted residence and are terrorising a particular household. The small village is divided on the issue with some supporting the animals right to freedom as they have been there for years. But for Gina and her husband it is a deep rooted fear of the birds.

When a vicious murder takes place, the situation changes because there seems to be many suspects who cannot be ruled out and in a small village like Heft, gossip and rumours flourish.

We get the cozy mystery genre and the idyllic English village in equal measure and discover that everyone has secrets that they will like to stay hidden. How much they will go to ensure that those secrets stay hidden is the issue here.

Very comfortable reading of the genre.

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

Death on the Pier by Pauline Rowson

Detective Alun Ryga is an introspective, quiet man. He has survived a gruelling time in a WWII camp and now serves Scotland Yard. A peculiar case of a missing corpse sees Ryga sent to the small coastal town of 
South End On Sea in Essex. A small town atmosphere where everyone seems to know everyone 1951 England is still recovering from the brutality of the War.

The man who calls himself a Commander who discovered the body is shifty, and it is not easy to befriend him. Unraveling the puzzle of the missing body is an even bigger mystery and with Ryga working undercover, it is not possible to have access to navy records or the local police, until the Commander himself is found murdered and then Ryga is forced to divulge his identity.

A slower paced detective story, reminiscent of the times and people and lifestyle of the age, it made for very pleasant reading.

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

The Last Retreat by Marina Palmer

 

Starting in Ukraine with a brutal shooting, and ending in a luxurious manor retreat in England the story is a mix of espionage, journalists getting a little too curious and the complicated and probable (now) world of computer wizardry.

Trying to recuperate at her mother’s home at Belford Abbey Tash was not exactly relaxing. Her mother’s clients include Elliot Drake and his entourage. Tash was also approached by M16 to spy on Elliot and she a novice to the game was going to get double dealt with by someone. 

The story develops from this base and deals with probable scenarios where clever people can eventually with the aid of artificial intelligence dominate the world.  It was a very absorbing theory and made for good reading.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the book, the review is unbiased. Thanks to Netgalley.

A Shroud of Snow by Sarah Hawkswood

 

Set in 1145 Hamelin was found with his head beaten in. A man unassuming, not given to brawls, charitable to the poor, recommended by the poor, his colleagues and the priests.  Who would want him dead?

A mystery murder set in the 12th century contrasts vividly to present times. No instant communications, no hi tech gadgets just very slow tedious questioning and deduction, that has not changed and then a clever detective can connect the dots. The Undersheriff Bradecote and DS George Cross share the same 

meticulous attention to detail and this is what stood out.

Descriptive of the lifestyle of the period, always interesting to see the differences between the haves and the  have nots (particularly bad during this period) this was a very good read.

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

Random picture of Kathakali dancers during one of my trips.

A Betrothed’s Betrayal by Deb Marlowe

 

Lady Lisette is in an unusual position for a single lady. That is for the Regency period. She has ditched her fiancée, a cad of the worst kind but the heartache from the sudden death of her brother is the one reason she feels lost.  He has provided for her amply, and she now finds herself in charge of A beautiful village in the Cotswolds but not without

its share of opposition to any new measures she brings in. Resistance to change is not new and the Lady has to step carefully.

Her position gets compromised almost immediately on arrival when her ex fiancée is found murdered and the local police, headed by former Bow Street runner, the dour Mr Sowerby is deeply suspicious of Lady Lisette and she is his first suspect.

The story dealing with the intrinsic charms of village life, gossip, character assassination and all add to the charm, but does not detract from the fact that a murder has been committed and Lisette is determined to get to the bottom of it and clear her name, mainly to get on with her life.

Interesting and very likeable plot and characters.

Thank you to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the book, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Tailor by Tim Sullivan

 

A bespoke tailor with clients from the very upper circles is found murdered in a brutal manner in a train carriage. No ordinary robbery though his luggage is missing. DS George Cross is on the case with a new assistant which he finds hard to handle, with his former Assistant now promoted over him, overlooking matters.

What follows is a meticulously pulled apart detective story - procedurally detailed, sometimes puzzling to everyone else other than to Cross but bringing to light the murderers involved. A tale of betrayal, espionage, a highly improbable code system and the brilliance of George Cross.

I am sad that this is the last book on my kindle from this author. I was hoarding it and keeping it to enjoy at leisure. 

Thank you to Grove Atlantic for sending me this book for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

 

I fell in love with this story. Emotionally charged, very powerful feelings and a love story set in 1900s colonial India, then moving to blitzed England, in the grip of German bombing and two people trying to get on with their lives.

The story of Elsie, torn from the country she loves most, uprooted from an environment like India, directly to aristocratic circles and destined for a marriage within those circles. Tanveer her playmate and his sister, 

also of an ancient lineage, both destined for marriages to shore up financially ruin of their courtesy. Both deeply in love and divided by the social standards of the time, but both not giving up on their deep attachment to each other.

Heart breaking most of the time, it was still a very tender love story. Filled with history of both countries starting from 1900 and going on to the First World War, the story encompasses the best of both genres.

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

The English Bookstore in Bologna by Boo Walker

 

Five expats, all very different come together in a very poignant story of love, relationships and a sense of hope against many odds. Sandy tge owner of the bookshop, almost hell bent to make it fail. Sandy has a sad history and does not want to complicate it with love or even a mild flirtation. Moira her assistant, timid as a mouse and frightened to do anything independently until she decides that she is going to be more progressive. Bianca escaping her rat race of a life and then George her father, the very opposite, wanting and seeking the stability of a permanent job, things to do and the mundaneness of lists and “having a plan”. Finally the mousey lovelorn Harold, spurned by Alice the love of his life and now totally lost and wallowing in self pity.

The story was emotional, tense and humorous in stages. It pointed at all the frailties of human egos and how difficult it is to break old habits. However progressive and “modern” we may be, we have deep decades old beliefs drilled into us and those bonds are very difficult to break free from.

I enjoyed this book, and the beauty of Bologna and the food certainly added to the charm.

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

A Season For Justice by John Pilkington

 

England 1618 was a troubled time. Unrest in Europe affected England even in a remote hamlet ex magistrate Justice Belstrang gets involved in activities far beyond his realm. Visiting an old friend Richard Mountford, Belstrang is told that the death of Mountford’s brother is suspicious and he is begged by Richard to pursue private enquiries.

Visiting the foundries where John met with his death, Belstrang is met with suspicion and downright antagonism. A attempted threat to his life is unsuccessful and he realises that what he is uncovering is a wide scale operation, which is treason.

Painstakingly following clues and connecting the dots all lead back to Francis Mountford, Richard’s own son who will have no qualms to kill even his own father to cover up his operation. Belstrang pursues it to the end because his loyalty is to his country and King (despite the King trying to requisition his family home).

A slow pace, no fast action or gimmicks but still a page turner.

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

Murder in a Yorkshire Village by Helena Dixon

 

Part of the Kitty Underhay series doing very well as a standalone, the story combines the serenity and peacefulness of village life, the routine as it stands of England in 1938, coupled with murder with its unpredictable turns and the detective work that goes with it, a subject not quite in keeping with upper class morals.

Kitty and Matt are inadvertently drawn into a murder investigation whilst watching a bicycle race in the village. Discovering the body Kitty has to testify and is drawn into the subsequent proceedings when it is discovered that it was no accident but murder. When a second body is discovered and the focus turns on getting rid of Kitty and Matt, the investigation has to pick up pace before more accidents happen.

A very charming cozy which I enjoyed very much.

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

The Housekeeper of Worthley Hall by Beverley Bowry

 

1828 Suffolk. A woman in precarious circumstances. Emma after giving loyal services at the Rectory is summarily dismissed when the new Rector takes over. The new rector under the thumb of his pretentious and overbearing mother sees Emma as a threat to her ambitions of getting her son married to someone of “quality”.  Emma does not suit.

Emma falls on her feet when she is offered a job as ladies maid cum assistant to a reluctant housekeeper at the nearest manor and it looked like things will settle down. It was not to be and a series of mishaps including a drunken episode by her brother and the disastrous robbery of Emma’s possessions including documents and jewellery by the Squires brother put paid to any stability for Emma. The final nail in the coffin is when the squire himself faces bankruptcy and eviction because of the fraud and robbery by his own brother. The manor is put up for auction.

The last bit is a fairy story and gives the happily ever after to this read. 

For readers who like to know what it is to live in the early 19th century in rural England, the lifestyle, the rather helpless position of women, the dominance of men - this is good descriptive reading.

Sent by The Book Guild for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly

 

Halloween or All Hallows Eve in Scotland is a time of festivity. Dr Emily recently retired, now finds herself in the midst of a murder enquiry, having discovered a body. There are a number of suspects, the problem is to whittle it down. Constable Ewans also the local laird will like Emily, Abigail, Jasper and 

Mara out of the investigation altogether, but that is not going to happen.

Like other readers, I couldn’t guess who the murderer was and this of course is the push one needs to continue reading. A very good cozy, set in descriptive surroundings with a very nice atmosphere as well.

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

The Widows Guide to Foul Play by Amanda Ashby

 

Monica Larkwell is back to celebrate a thirty year anniversary to the village and drama group where it all started. Now a star of the past she is hoping to revive a flagged career. It’s not going quite according to plan as there is too much tension, acrimony and underlying secrets that people don’t quite know what to make of. Until the star is murdered and Detective Wallace reluctantly calls on the group of women, who feel they are amateur detectives to help.

Slowly unraveling secrets and relationships of thirty years past, the group encounters broken into homes and offices, another dead body, out of towers with stories and agendas of their own, quick schemes to get rich amongst them, and killers in costume! Specifically bird suits.

A straightforward cozy, lots of humour. 

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

The castle in tge Glen by Rhys Bowen

Iris Blackburn is a world famous author facing a problem of a fading memory. With a novel half written, she employs fellow Australian Emma to research the story on the island of Skye and write the rest of the mystery. The year is 1964 but Emma has to back in her story telling to 1904 to a suspicious drowning of a couple, with a deliberate sabotage of their boat and the consequent disappearance of a young man who was the chief suspect.

The story is so vivid both in the telling of the actual murders, lifestyle of 1904 and then moving to more modern 1964, where old practices and ideas still live on in the memories of people, of the attitude of the rich and powerful of yesterday still continuing today and how they like to keep secrets hidden, just to m

maintain the facade of respectability. Revealing a sad story of the deaths in the past and the actual history as of now, the connections to Emma which were carefully researched and taken into account, when choosing her as a ghost writer form a convoluted, unbelievable but beautiful story. As is usual for this author.

Sent by Lake Union Publishing (many thanks) for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley 

Learning to Breathe again by Tonya Cam

 

1933 America. Women still followed their husbands wishes and Mary and Elena did just that. Mary fearful for her daughter’s life because of advanced bronchial disease and Elena who was a city girl and had not known anything other than the bright lights of Miami.

With Janie’s death life changed for Mary. Her hopes and dreams were dashed and her stay in Clewiston, sugarcane growing country was hard. Herself afflicted with asthma, the burning of the sugarcane made her breathing more difficult. On top of that Elena now with a new born washed her hands off any work connected with her baby and both Mary’s and Elena’s husbands thought it nothing that Mary should take over all the work. The rift in the marriages were growing wider. In Mary’s case her frustration that she could not pursue her studies, and in Elena’s case an extra marital affair. 

The story of loss, grief, frustration at what life throws at you, and a theory that everyone is not born maternal is markedly depicted in the story. This just Book One of the series, which ends on a hopeful note so I am looking forward to Book Two to see how the characters develop from there.

The lack of communication between the four main characters led to silent conflicts with all four not knowing how to deal with each other.

An interesting read sent by Victory Editing Netgalley Co op for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Clockmaker’s Murder by Emily Organ

London 1889. Horace Whitby a highly respected clock maker was found murdered by Charlotte Mellor, who was herself in the time keeping business of selling accurate Greenwich mean time to banks and institutions. Charlotte had come apparently seeking Mr Whitby’s help in resetting a clock. The Mellor family was in the same business and now Charlotte continued the tradition. There was ill feeling and resentment on Mr Whitby’s side towards the Mellor family and this was the chief reason for Inspector Harris to make Charlotte his main suspect.

Charlotte appealed to Penny and Emma the two lady detectives, who had solved crimes before but she was not truthful with them and they discovered discrepancies during their investigation. Their attempts to get into the Royal Observatory was difficult and they used fictitious names and an organisation that did not exist to get into the place and observe people and surroundings that they felt were relevant to the case. 

When a second murder takes place Penny’s husband from Scotland Yard is roped in and together they try to find out who would benefit most from the murders.

Complicated plot, wonderful characters,  a Victorian lifestyle beautifully described make up another captivating story.

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

Sycamore Gap by L J Ross

 

Detective Chief Inspector is never going to have a quiet life. When he thinks one hurdle is behind him he is forced to face another.

This mystery murder is set in Northumberland, alongside the ancient Hadrians Wall and brings the Detective in directly confrontation with the historians and archaeologists and worse his own Police Force with their own agendas. A body is found within the Wall itself and it has been there for ten years. Identifying it was not long in coming and then the dots start to get connected with a serial murderer who is notorious and is in a high security prison. A second copycat killing shows a killer who is determined to out manoeuvre the Police. The detection has to be carefully followed because Ryan does know that opponents to him are within the Department and though most imagine The Circle (The cult which has caused them grief in the past is dead and buried), it is very much alive and wanting to consolidate their position.

A touch of romance adds another genre but adds to the overall danger because it becomes a tool for the opponents to manoeuvre a situation to their advantage and highlight the weaknesses of the Chief Inspector.

My second read of this author within a week but it still held my interest very much.

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

The Brothers Shaughnessy by James Snyder

 

1880s New Orleans was rough. Rival gangs, a hugely corrupt political and police force and distinct divisions in a society marked by the very poor and the very rich. Life went on, but the undercurrents of murder and mayhem was high.

The brothers with a rich Irish background, brings a mystery to life. Working in unorthodox ways but trying to set a right is not easy and there is heartbreak ahead for one of them. The rival gangs were a tad confusing at the beginning, but sorted itself out as you read. There is a sequel which I am looking forward to as there is some closure necessary.  The story gave the reader a no frills perspective of New Orleans at the time.

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

Heavenfield by L J Ross

 

DCI Ryan has got an anonymous message giving him details of a meet up at a very isolated church in Heavenfield. He finds a murdered man, known to him and then becomes the chief suspect in a murder.

Unsettling as that may be the systematic killing of people connected to a cult called the Circle, Ryan finds himself as a target himself. Speed is of essence to uncover the chief in the cult, and this is no easy task because it has permeated even the Police Department at every level.

The combination of strong characters, the deviousness of the plot, the almost gothic descriptions of the church and its environs adds to the heightened tensions in the story. Adding touches of humour and deep senses of loyalty within a group adds realism to the read. 

Part of a series and I was lucky I read the previous story but it does not do badly as a stand alone.

Extremely tense, one cannot wait to see the outcome.

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

Hail Holy Queens by Chris Mcginley

 

1887 Berkshire. A convent isolated by winter, unprecedented snow but continuing their normal life under the dictatorial supervision of Mother Superior. 

Their lives are disrupted by the appearance of beasts of almost demonic proportions and appearance. Their lives are nuns are attacked and with the initial deaths, the group of quiet nuns turn into a fighting force, they become the hunters and unleash almost super human power on the destruction of these beasts.

The story is loud and violent and the setting was epic. Related by Henrietta who has been dumped there by her husband (convents were convenient places to get rid of unwanted relatives) and she describes each encounter really well. 

Sent by Lee Matthew Goldberg for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Murder on Devil’s Ridge by Irina Shapiro

 

A Victorian mystery which highlights this authors attention to detail and meticulous descriptives which bring the entire story alive.

A little girl taken out in the middle of the night. An extremely well secured home, two nursery maids plus many servants. Murdered in cold blooded apparently with all the signs of a ritualistic pagan death abd her body kept on Devils Ridge.

Sebastian and Gemma he from Scotland Yard and she a nurse are visiting family when they are summoned  and then given the authority to investigate the killing by Viscount Ravenel, the father of the dead child. 

The story unravels slowly because none of the servants wants to divulge secrets of the family, well known to them and hidden to outsiders. They are bound by a sense of fear, of losing their livelihood. The binds out of a sense of loyalty is a poor third. Gemma starts with the women of the household, making little headway though she begins to realize deep undercurrents within and Sebastian handles the males of the household. Almost all resent the outsiders in their midst and it is when a second child goes missing (again in the middle of the night) that tongues are loosened with the conviction amongst the household that the stories are going to come out and a very complicated story emerges. The need for a male heir, the dominance of a mother in law, homosexuality rumours which have to be kept hidden from society, the brutality and contempt that the aristocracy felt for anyone in their world who they felt inferior, and most importantly the helplessness of women whether rich or poor are amply shown in this novel.

Apart from the death of a young child, the lifestyle of Victorian England both upper, middle and poorer classes are seen very clearly. How the rich literally get away with every wrongdoing possible is sad, but inevitable. The story like all her stories was emotional, tense and a page turner.

I am always very appreciative when I get the opportunity to read her books.

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

Chalk Dust abd New Chapters by Gervase Phinn

 

Post war Britain had to face many changes. Trying to cope with economic hardships, the changing attitude of young women seemed to go head to head with the old guard who just could not accept that women were not willing to be silent or quiet in the face of injustice, and some men not accepting that times have changed.

Set amongst the Yorkshire Dales, Helen is a bright, determined teacher just returned from a stint in Germany, to a sadly neglected, run down school. As a supply teacher she is filling a temporary gap, but she is appalled by not just the conditions of the  classrooms but also the out of date practices and the apathy of teachers indifferent to their charges. The Head Teacher has a policy of not interfering or trying to improve the situation. Despite opposition, Helen steps in to improve her class. Moving on to the next school, the Head is only concerned with results at the Eleven Plus exams. Anything else is not necessary. Here too Helen sets things right. Her next assignment takes her to a modern school where romance also follows with not one, but two suitors.

The story is a good informative one about lifestyles, attitudes of the working class and middle class in Yorkshire at the time and the manner in which change was coming. A very good read. 

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

A Lark’s Gambit by Lynn Messina

 

Verity Lark has many persona. She is an avid reporter, a spy amongst the aristocracy, running a complicated household, madly in love with Coulson son of the Marques of Ware. Complicated enough but she is now pursuing tge opium trade in London, in disguise of course and now has to account how and why tge Marques of Ware is patronizing an opium den. Explaining that to his son is going to take gumption, explaining why she is kissing said Marques is going to be much more troublesome.

I love the historical details and snippets that flavor the entire read. The lifestyle and autocratic style will leave one puzzled as to how the aristocracy in Britain got away with it, for as long as they did, and did not face the way the French went. The sheer bigotry, the powers that were vested in them was unbelievable. Still that is history and we have Verity and Coulson, Delphine, Freddy and Lucy all playing a role in righting society’s ills.

Excellent reading of a historical fiction, romance, mystery read rolled into one very illuminating read.

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

The Harrogate Spa Murders by Mona W Gloss

 

The Thorne Spa offers pampered luxury - a Three Heat treatment guaranteed to relax and reinvigorate tired people. On this day eight people registered and only six were left alive at the end. Seemingly unconnected, people were linked by a twenty year old unexplained murder of a young woman. Brought together through very clever, invidious means they did not know they were in for an upheaval, with two ending dead.

A real closed room mystery thriller, with strong characterization. Good reading.

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