A DEATH IN CHELSEA by Lynn Brittney is a historical mystery set in England in 1915 during World War I. It is the second book in the Mayfair 100 MurderA DEATH IN CHELSEA by Lynn Brittney is a historical mystery set in England in 1915 during World War I. It is the second book in the Mayfair 100 Murder Mystery series, but it worked well as a standalone novel for me.
Chief Inspector Peter Beech has a semi-secret team of amateur women detectives and professional policemen that the commissioner of Scotland Yard allowed him to create. For their second case, a duchess’ daughter has been found dead in what appears to be a suicide but her family suspects foul play. This leads the team on an investigation that is unlike most in in early 1900’s.
The characters were compelling, strong, complex and had depth. Their motivations seemed believable and distinct. There were enough internal and external conflicts to keep this reader fully engaged. The plot twists seemed believable, and while many were expected, there were a few surprises. The descriptions gave me a clear sense of time, mood and place without distracting from the story.
This is not a fast-paced novel, but it was relatively steadily paced. It also takes place during the early days of scientific police work and when women are taking on jobs that men had largely held before the war. Additional themes include corruption, murder, drug use, adoption, baby farms, gossip, and views on social order and race. There is one very controversial scene.
Overall, this was a well-written, engrossing, and thought-provoking read. I am looking forward to reading the first book in the series.
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Lynn Brittney for an ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way....more
THE SNOW KILLER by Ross Greenwood is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Inspector John Barton. The novel is a combination of genres. PTHE SNOW KILLER by Ross Greenwood is the first book in a new series featuring Detective Inspector John Barton. The novel is a combination of genres. Part of it is historical mystery, part contemporary police procedural, and part an insight into a serial killer’s mind.
The novel is set in and near Peterborough in the United Kingdom, a place where the author was born and later visited many times. This lent authenticity to the sense of place. The opening scene starts fifty years ago when a family is gunned down in the snow. However, a teenager survives, takes revenge a few years later and becomes known as the Snow Killer. However, the case goes cold and is forgotten by most. Fifty years later, murders start again that are somewhat similar in style to the revenge killings. Has the Snow Killer started killing again or is this a copycat Snow Killer? The novel is told from the alternating points of view of two very different individuals, DI Barton and the Snow Killer.
The characters are compelling and their motivations seem believable and well-drawn. The reader gets insight into DI Barton’s family life as well as his team members working to solve the contemporary murders. The descriptions are vivid and give a clear sense of time and space. The insight and perspective of the Snow Killer is disturbing. The ending has a twist that I did not see coming until late in the book.
This is the only book that I have read by this author but I am looking forward to the next book in the series. What a great start to a new series. I believe those readers that enjoy police procedurals with a little something extra will enjoy this book.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books and Ross Greenwood for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way....more
THE WARSAW PROTOCOL by Steve Berry is the fifteenth book in the Cotton Malone series. While it works well as a standalone, you will get better insightTHE WARSAW PROTOCOL by Steve Berry is the fifteenth book in the Cotton Malone series. While it works well as a standalone, you will get better insight into Cotton’s character if you have read prior books in the series.
Cotton Malone is a former Justice Department intelligence agent who now owns a rare book shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is in Belgium to attend Europe’s largest antiquarian book fair. While there, he decides to go to the Basilica of the Holy Blood, a 12th-century building that is more to one of Europe’s most sacred reliquaries, the Holy Blood, one of the relics comprising the Arma Christi. When three men steal the relic, the thriller accelerates in pace and Cotton is pulled into another adventure.
This is a well written novel with action taking place in Belgium, Poland, and Slovakia. As a reader we learn about history, religion and politics at the same time as we experience lots of thrills, action, adventure and suspense. The characters and situation are memorable and the story line is exciting and entertaining. Berry’s descriptions bring the places and characters to life better than most writers today without detracting or slowing down the action.
He always does a great job at the end of each book sharing what was fiction versus reality for events, places and people. The amount of research that went into this book is extraordinary. This was my fifth book by this author that I have read in 2019 and I can’t seem to get enough of the series. I am looking forward to reading more of them. I highly recommend this book and the series to those that like political and historical thrillers.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Steve Berry for a digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. ...more
THINGS IN JARS by Jess Kidd is a gothic story set in Victorian London in the 1860s with a few flashback chapters in the 1830s and 1830s. Birdie DevineTHINGS IN JARS by Jess Kidd is a gothic story set in Victorian London in the 1860s with a few flashback chapters in the 1830s and 1830s. Birdie Devine is a female detective that takes on domestic investigations and does minor surgeries. She has two cases, one given to her by Inspector Valentine Rose of Scotland Yard, and a second one when she is hired by Sir Edmund Athelstan Berwick to find his kidnapped daughter.
Kidd des a great job of writing in such a way that you not only hear what’s happening, but you can see it vividly, and even experience the unfortunate smells of the time. The story is somewhat gruesome and shocking at times and there is a paranormal aspect to it as well. It is gritty and dark at times and, at other times, it takes on a lighter tone.
The characters are compelling, fascinating, and felt three-dimensional with clear motivations. There was enough at stake to keep me engaged throughout the story. The world-building was absolutely fantastic and gave a clear sense of time and place.
Overall, this was an entertaining book that I would recommend to those that enjoy stories set in Victorian London and like a little paranormal and a bit of romance in their stories.
Thanks to Atria Books and Jess Kidd for a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way....more
At 2 weeks prior to publication, I can now post my review.
Near Prospect Park by Lawrence H. Levy is the fourth book in the Mary Handley historical mysAt 2 weeks prior to publication, I can now post my review.
Near Prospect Park by Lawrence H. Levy is the fourth book in the Mary Handley historical mystery series. It worked as a standalone novel with a strong female protagonist and is set in the late 1890’s in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York.
Mary Handley works as a detective in a time when most women did not work outside of the home. Her character shows decent character depth during the course of the story. She is married to reporter Harper Lloyd and has a nine month old daughter Josephine. Unfortunately, Harper is murdered during the pursuit of a story and Mary sets to work finding the killer.
While this is a historical mystery novel, it pulls in elements of real history and people including Theodore Roosevelt when he was the president of the board of police commissioners, W. S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan, actress Lillian Russell and many more. The book does a great job of bringing the reader into late 19th century New York and explores several themes including murder, poverty, the treatment of and crimes against women, corruption and the elite social scene. Unfortunately, these same conditions still exist in the 21st century.
I recommend this well-written historical mystery to those that enjoy the genre.
Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books and Lawrence H. Levy for a digital ARC of this novel via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Review to Come 1/1/2020 per publisher request to hold until 2 weeks prior to publication....more
A SINNER’S PRAYER by M. P. Wright is the fourth and, at least in the foreseeable future, the last book in the JT Ellington historical mystery series. A SINNER’S PRAYER by M. P. Wright is the fourth and, at least in the foreseeable future, the last book in the JT Ellington historical mystery series. I believe it would have been beneficial to have read the first three books in advance, but it worked well as a standalone novel.
JT was born in Barbados, but moved with some of his family to St Pauls, Bristol in the 1960’s. He was a policeman in Barbados, but could not get work as one in England so he became a private detective. By 1970, he changed careers and became a primary school assistant caretaker.
Superintendent Fletcher convinces JT to find a young man, Nikhil Suresh, who has disappeared a few hours before his wedding. Otherwise, he will face theft charges.
The author does a great job of letting us see and feel JT’s emotions. We also get the opportunity to meet several of his relatives and friends during the course of the investigation. Intolerance and racism during this time is very evident and made me think of how far we have and have not come in 2019.
This book weaves a number of themes and events into the plot including murder, assault, violence, passion, family, friends, adoption, intolerance, racism and political corruption. It has plenty of action as well as some introspection by the main character.
While this is the only book I have read by M.P. Wright, I would like to check out more of his books. This book is not lighthearted, but it is worth reading.
Many thanks to Black & White Publishing, M. P. Wright and Net Galley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way....more
The Orphan Daughter by Sheila Riley is a historical fiction novel with a bit of a mystery to it. It is the first book in a series by this author and iThe Orphan Daughter by Sheila Riley is a historical fiction novel with a bit of a mystery to it. It is the first book in a series by this author and is set in Liverpool during 1946 and 1947 after World War II.
Evie Kilgaren, our protagonist, has been basically abandoned by her mother and her father did not return from the war. Her mother, Rene, sent the two youngest children, Jack and Lucy, to Ireland during the war and has not brought them back to Liverpool yet. Rene has also taken in a boarder, Leo Darnel who burns Evie’s business school notebooks. Evie moves out of her mother’s house and eventually her mother brings Jack and Lucy back to Liverpool and kicks out Leo. Then Rene disappears.
This started a story line that kept me engrossed throughout the well-written novel. The Kilgarens lived near the docks in Liverpool and the winter of 1946-1947 is much colder than normal. The novel interweaves several themes including the poverty in this area of Liverpool at that time, the damage done by the war, rationing that is still a part of the post-war era, black markets, assault, domestic violence, spinsterhood, the difficulty of finding work, friendship, and even love. It also has a couple of twists to it.
Sheila Riley did a great job of bringing this era to life and helping me to visualize both the setting and the characters. Am I interested in reading the next book in this series? Absolutely. This heartwarming book had spirited characters determined to succeed, had some humor and drew me into Evie’s life.
Many thanks to Boldwood Books, Sheila Riley and Net Galley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
A Christmas Code by Jacki Delecki is the second book in the Code Breakers series but it works well as a standalone novel.
The novella takes place in EA Christmas Code by Jacki Delecki is the second book in the Code Breakers series but it works well as a standalone novel.
The novella takes place in England during the Regency period. Viscount James Ashworth has one more assignment before he retires from being a spy. He needs to protect the Prince Regent who plans to attend a holiday party in the countryside. His childhood friend, Lady Gwyneth Beaumont, is his boss' sister. She plans to attend the party as well. She wants to prove herself in more than one way. Her spying uncovers a secret and the plot unfolds.
The book is well written and you do get a feel for the times. I also learned more about how herbs and spices were stored during the times as well as how many of the aristocratic houses had a conservatory. There are also a number of secondary characters that play pivotal roles in the story. However, due to the shortness of the book, it felt a little rushed to me.
Will the Prince Regent survive? Who are the potential assassins? Will Lady Gwyneth make a good spy? Who finds romance? Read it to find out? While I felt the author's book Mission: Impossible to Surrender was a much better book, this is an entertaining holiday historical romance/suspense....more
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