Round Up the Unusual Suspects by Elizabeth Crowens

 

A WWII background we have Babs and Guy in their next adventure of being private detectives on a film set. The set is chaotic, the figures are bigger than life, the producers and directors have enormous egos, uncontrollable tempers and three suspicious deaths occur. It is also the story where the two get married for convenience only.

There is the homosexuality theme and the fear of discovery, recruitment to the forces, and the biggest problem for Babs, the internment in camps of people of Japanese ancestry, now considered aliens and enemies of the state. Her attempts to hide Mr Otake are admirable but she is working flat out to solve a murder as well.

The story has a lot going on and keeping track of it all is not easy. It gives a good account of how studios worked in that time, and very little was orderly or pleasant.

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

Tag You’re It by Kerry Wilkinson

 

A reality show. Contestants from 18 to 80. Everyday one person is IT and has to tag someone with a phrase or get someone to do something. The prize money is big, and everyday with one game or the other, the money gets added to. The contestants come from a wide range of backgrounds and very quickly begin to develop small cliques with people whom they are comfortable with but the theme of Don’t Trust Anybody has to apply because almost all are focussed on winning.

When one of their number is found dead, the detectives have a problem of finding out who killed this contestant and why. Secrets so deeply concealed that no one can work out the links within some of the contestants. 

Surprising at every stage, this novel keeps you wanting to know what the end is like. Human nature with all its frailties displayed. A very good story.

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

The Case of the Murdered Muckraker by Rob Osler

 

Harriet is an intrepid private investigator. She is a lesbian keeping her secret closely guarded, this being Chicago at the turn of the twentieth century. Not the easiest time for a woman to be different, following a career that makes her distinctive. Not much help or support from colleagues which makes investigation, not just harder but lonely.

The story was a good one and all the characters stood out. Harriet had to work mainly alone, and this was an investigation with no holds barred, dealing with ruthless politicians who were extremely corrupt and who did not even think of Harriet as the opposition. That she had the grudging support of her boss was a good thing, because that did help.

Being gay and keeping it secret to the end was also hard because Harriet did feel that there were like minded people, but it was a topic that could not be spoken about. I do hope that we will have a sequel to this story. I’ll look forward to that.

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

The Three by Kelsey O’Brien

 

1791 England. Interesting times and we have people living dangerously on the edge.  Matthew is a skilled corset maker and his business is steadily on the rise. He came from nothing and has clawed himself up, setting up a business which is seen as successful. Though catering to the elite, he is still on the outside of society until he takes up with the aristocratic Henry with whom he falls in love. The danger of keeping a liaison like this secret is a must as it is a criminal offence. Matthew moves into Henry’s house as a private corset maker to Henry’s wife Elina so that the deception can continue.

So far the story is nothing untoward because society had many secrets swept under the Carpet, and ignored by polite society so that surfaces are not ruffled and secrets are kept hidden. Discovering that his lovers wife was well into revolutionary politics which she had kept carefully hidden was a surprise. Supporting her in her movement to popularise her ideas was not part of Matthew’s duties but he sympathised with Elina’s position in the household and then began his surreptitious life of helping Eliza without Henry’s knowledge.

The reckoning was coming and it did. It was sobering, difficult and emotional to process, but it was excellent reading.

The book was sent by Hera Books for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Shark House by Sara Ackerman

 

Set in Hawaii we have a story of a woman working in a man’s world (yes this is 1998) having to face a patronizing attitude because of her gender, despite being highly qualified for the job. A marine biologist by profession Minnow Gray on her subject of sharks, is at variance with the authorities on the islands. A few shark attacks, resulting in severe injury and a death are creating a pall over the tourist dependent islands. The powers that be would like to have a shark hunt and eliminate the threat, but Minnow knows that there is more to the attacks and does it warrant a hunt of these endangered mammals.

The story is very descriptive of the islands themselves, the myths and legends of the islanders themselves are brought into the story as a backdrop the reality of business and local politics. Striking a balance is not going to be easy and Minnow becomes a target because of her opposition to the hunt. This is a story about the natural world and the power of nature and things humans are still trying to understand. 

Sent by Harper Muse for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Beattie Cavendish and the Highland Hideaway by Mary-Jane Riley

 

My second read by this author and she did not disappoint.

Beattie is unassuming and her supposed role in the Civil Service is to improve efficiency amongst employees especially their typing skills. It seems like a good cover because Beattie is discreet, fearless and loves her job. She had to overcome obstacles from her family who just wanted her to be domesticated and married. Their knowledge of what she did was vague and she kept it at that.

Her present assignment to go to Kilbride, a remote Scottish outpost where something was awry. There was talk of double agents, people working for both sides, and on arrival a missing head of the unit, as well as a missing uncle, the very enigmatic Howard Cavendish.

Paddy Corrigan, a past conspirators with Beattie also works in this story, bringing mixed emotions to both of them. Their attraction to each other is deep, trust implicit but there are many barriers and this was sad.

The setting was bleak and descriptive providing just the amount of negativity needed as a background for the story that emerged. Spies, double dealings, mercenaries and trying to see the wood from the trees was Beattie’s instructions.

An excellent story with strong and weak characters which fitted their respective roles perfectly.

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

The Green Baize Door by Eleanor Birney

 

Marie’s grandmother works for a rich family as a housekeeper, earning their respect and kindness. Her son and grandson were avaricious, only looking for the wealth they thought she had accumulated over the years. Marie loved her grandmother for who she was and nothing else. When she was found brutally murdered, marie did not want to believe that her family were involved but the facts pointed to them having some kind of role in the murder.

When both her brother, father and her brothers closest friend were found to be suspects, Marie appealed to the family for help to get them out. James Lett was attracted to Marie and believed in her, though he had reservations about her kin.  The green baize door separated the masters from those who worked for them, and the demarcation was very definite. James and Marie had to work together to find the murderer and both had to keep within their boundaries. Class identity, the gap between the two were marked characteristics of the story. The grinding poverty prevalent amongst the working class was another sad commentary of the times. A feature of the story is also the effect of having a coloured ancestry and how it affected your entire life, from finding a job to finding a decent place to live. It did not matter that you appeared white, even the suspicion of being coloured was enough to blight your existence.

The book was a social commentary apart from the murder connotations. A good one.

Sent by Parlor & Dock Press, courtesy of Netgalley.

We were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda

 

A reunion. A celebration for an engagement party. A beautiful house in a fabulous setting almost a luxury hotel atmosphere. That was the setting. The animosity, the resentment, the patronizing attitudes were still there. Amidst it all the story of a girl who died in a similar house years before, not forgotten by any of them, compartmentalised into a small box hidden away till this weekend opens a Pandora’s box from which there is no escape.

Each of the women had an agenda. Each had secrets to hide. One of them was blackmailing one and had her sights set on another. One was very quiet and very much in the background. She was the one to watch. 

Not a single character was likeable. All rotten to the core but the story was a twisted tale which kept you wanting to read another chapter to know where it would go.

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

Mrs Hudson and the Spirits Curse by Martin Davies

 

I am  Sherlock fan so any link to them draws my eye. This did not disappoint.

Sherlock and Watson are setting up house and there are new characters - Mrs Hudson and Flotsam. Both are “characters” in every sense of the word. Mrs Hudson inscrutable, hidden talents, contacts with everyone and Flottie under her watchful eye being trained and educated for higher things. This was a story in itself.

The mystery had many twists including spirits (debunked by both Holmes and Watsonville), though quite plausible at the beginning. Murders galore and detection of the usual sort by the pair, at times bested by Mrs Hudson.

My first introduction to the lady and I hope I get to many more.

Very much enjoyed this read.

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

A Very Novel Murder by Ellie Alexander

 

Annie has opened her detective agency, after successfully launching her bookshop. Now she awaits her first client. In a small village she expected to have to deal with missing cats, unfaithful husbands and cases of vandalism. Her first enquiry was an eye opener - someone who thought her partner could be Agatha Christie s own son and brought stuff to support her claim. The other, an elderly lady brought in a full scale murder enquiry with lots of arguments to support her case.

Kelly had been June’s friend and despite being very young had befriended June or that was the story. June despite local police ruling it a death by accident, (Kelly was found drowned in a bath tub), June was suspicious of the boy friend, Kelly’s surfing coach and also the girl who shared the flat. 

Initial investigations supported Annie’s suspicions that everything was not what it seemed and the local police got involved again. What followed was a plethora of crimes, and several suspects. The actual murderer was able to hoodwink two sharp detectives and the local police force almost to the end.

Excellent detective work.

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

The Chateau Murder by Greg Mosse

 

Set in an isolated snow bound setting the first death of an old butler seemed like an accident waiting to happen.. Zoe has been invited by her friends to come. It seems like a desperate summons. When she arrives 

however, the friend is evasive and an occasion for a chat seems almost impossible. Undercurrents run high between the aged twin brothers, and having three ex wives on the premises does not augur well. The only child on the premises is strange as well, moulded and influenced by very complicated adults.

The story is a complicated one and I didn’t see the end or the murderer clearly at all. The setting was descriptive and the characters were very varied. 

Sent by Hodder & Stoughton for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

The Star Society by Gabriella Saab

 

Two sisters both fled Nazi occupied Netherlands and have established careers. One is the bright young star of Hollywood, with a past she has kept carefully hidden, and the other a career woman. An investigator- her job to find out as much as possible about the wave of Communism hitting Hollywood, focussing mainly on her sister Ada.

The story weaves through the lives of producers, agents and stars in Ada’s circuit, along with the focus of Ingrid’s investigation. Intertwined with this is the search for the Nazi who made Ada’s life miserable and who was responsible for the death and disappearance of many Jews in the Netherlands.

With inspiration from the story of Audrey Hepburn, this was a detailed and very factual story of what transpired both during and after Nazi occupation. The story of resilience of survival and the bond of sisterhood makes it a very emotional read.

Sent by Harper Muse for an unbiased review, courtesy of Netgalley.

Revenge of Odessa by Frederick Forsyth with Tony Kent

 

The storyline is eye catching. Fifty years after revealing the secrets of Odessa Peter is now retired from his journalistic beat for the safety of his grandson. Georg however is no shrinking Violet and follows his grandfather in the dangerous hunt. Odessa is alive and well just under another name and playing a waiting game.

The premise was good but the story falls flat and was disappointing particularly when it carries the Forsyth name.

Sent by Random House UK Transworld Publishers.

A Deadly Clue by Victoria Albert

 

Cameron Clewe and Jane Hunter are not just employer and employees. Jane works curating Cam’s vast library but they have also worked on suspicious death cases before.  Involving the powerful Stewart family, an encounter with one of the family whilst collecting a parcel of books, Jane comes across an odd note which could be linked to the high profile suicide of Kimberley Stewart. When and before Cam and Jane even begin working on their suspicions, another death happens. This too is certified as a death by an overdose and seems too convenient to be acceptable.

Working with very little information, and against a very powerful family who has no compunction in threats of every kind Cam and Jane are determined to get to the truth, especially after a third death occurs. Alongside the murder investigation, is also the puzzling mystery and whereabouts of Cam’s father now missing for years and with a backdrop of estrangement from his family. Maybe we would hear more of this intriguing backstory in another episode.

A fairly convoluted investigation, but an interesting one.

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