Book Review: All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon

 

All That is Secret (Annalee Spain #1).  Patricia Raybon. Tyndale House (2021). 400 pages. Genre:  Mystery, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction.

First Lines of the Prologue: "November 1922.  The little baby was four hours old.  Still unwashed.  Barely crying."

Summary (Goodreads): In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain--a daring but overworked theologian at a small Chicago Bible college--receives a cryptic telegram calling her home to Denver to solve the mystery of the murder of her beloved but estranged father.

For a young Black woman, searching for answers in a city ruled by the KKK could mean real danger. Still, with her literary hero Sherlock Holmes as inspiration, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young white boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome Black pastor who loves nightclub dancing and rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep secrets, Annalee confronts the dangerous truths and beliefs that could make her a victim too.

My thoughts:  This is a great start to a mystery series.  Annalee Spain grew up in Colorado, mostly raised by her alcoholic father.  She never knew her mother.  When her father wasn't around or incapacitated, the ladies in the neighborhood looked out for her.  Annalee was determined to rise above a life of poverty.  When she went to college and became a professor, her father was so proud of her.  In fact, they were mending their relationship.  Joe Spain was planning a trip to Chicago to visit Annalee.  But he never showed up.  They say he fell from a train.  Annalee suspects he was pushed and is determined to find out the truth.

There is lots of action and suspense intermixed with quieter times.  Unraveling the mystery isn't easy, but there are threads to pull.  Everybody knows something, but most aren't talking.  Unfortunately, the city of Denver is run by the KKK.  Everybody is under their thumb including the police.  Annalee does put herself in some dangerous situations in order to learn things, but they are not unrealistic.  Mostly she learns things by listening.  She is a fan of Sherlock Holmes and each chapter starts with a quote from one of his stories.  

The collection of secondary characters is great.  Mrs. Stallworth, her landlady, is the closest thing to a mother she has.  Eddie, an orphan with no home, is completely loyal to Annalee after she gives him some dinner when he would have gone without.  Reverend Jack Robert Blake, current pastor at Mount Moriah AME does all he can to help and protect Annalee.  And then there is Sidney Castle who seems to be helping Annalee, but she is not sure why.  

I really got a feel for Denver of the 1920's.  The atmosphere was tense.  The neighborhoods segregated and favor given to whoever had the most money.  The KKK members had their hands in everything, even the churches.  The author includes a note at the back of the book indicating that she grew up in Colorado along with some of the history she incorporated in the book. 

She says, "The Ku Klux Klan's 1920s revival, meantime, was legendary in Colorado, where membership was the second largest per capita in the United States (after Indiana) - claiming between 55,000 and 75,000 members, including women.  The Grand Dragon of Colorado's Klan was not Eddie Brown Sr. (my fictional name), but a homeopathic physician named Dr. John Galen Locke, who engineered a hate campaign against Jews, Blacks, Catholics, and immigrants, declaring that only native-born, English-speaking, white Protestants were 100 percent American."

There is a strong faith-thread in the story about trusting God and not trying to do things on your own.  

Overall this was an absorbing read that kept me turning pages.  I am so glad this is a series and look forward to reading the newly released second book, Double the Lies.

Quotes: 

"Of the arrogance it took to believe she could study God or comprehend who God is in a world that rarely makes a lick of sense, because it's so God-forsaken and desperate and crazy."

"She'd been walking in circles.  Moving and going. Aimless.  Distracted. Letting life happen to her.  Never planning it.  Or deciding clearly where she was going.  That's how she ended up at the Bible college.  It was only one of seven, after learning she was colored, that would take her.  But what did she learn there that mattered now?  Finally this: God is visionary.  Tactical.  A planner.  A builder.  Laboring with detailed plans."

Book Review: Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

 

Murder at the Vicarage.  Agatha Christie.  1930. 288 pages.  Genre: Classic, Mystery.

First Line:  "It is difficult to know quite where to begin this story, but I have fixed my choice on a certain Wednesday at luncheon at the Vicarage."

Summary:  Colonel Protheroe has managed to rub most of the people in the village the wrong way.  He has a knack for making a fuss.  And his fuss has now come to the vicarage.  He wants to meet with the vicar to go over the church accounts.  A couple of hours before the meeting, the vicar receives a call telling him he is urgently needed elsewhere.  The vicar leaves word with his housekeeper that he will return soon and requests that Colonel Protheroe wait for him in the study.  

Before the vicar returns, Colonel Protheroe is shot while sitting at the desk in the study.  Before long a suspect confesses.  He was the most likely suspect so the police relax.  When a second suspect confesses things get complicated.  With so many villagers having grudges against the colonel, the police have their work cut out for them.  Its a good thing nothing gets past Miss Marple.

My thoughts:  Murder at the Vicarage is told from the perspective of the vicar.  He and his much younger wife, Griselda, live at the vicarage along with Denis, their fifteen-year-old nephew.  They have a housekeeper, Mary, who is a terrible cook and a passable housekeeper.  However, since Griselda's talents in both areas are non-existent, Mary will have to do.  At first I thought Griselda was going to be a woman who thought housework was beneath her and thought much of her position as vicar's wife.  But my assumption was wrong.  Griselda adores her husband and appreciates Mary.  She respects her position as vicar's wife.  The vicar's perspective was often surprising and funny.

This is the first novel in the Miss Marple series, but Miss Marple felt like a secondary character. However, she did have a hand in solving the mystery. I really enjoyed getting to know her.  She doesn't fool the vicar with her seeming lack of interest in village affairs.  She may not be a gossip, but she doesn't miss anything that goes on in the village. 

The mystery was a great puzzle that kept me guessing.  There were lots of twists and turns and secrets to uncover.  Right up to the end it was difficult to prove whodunnit.

This was an enjoyable read.  I look forward to following Miss Marple in her next crime-solving attempt.

Quotes:

"I looked round the small living-room.  Every shelf and table was littered with miscellaneous articles.  Lawrence lived in the midst of artistic disarray that would have driven me quite mad."

"During all this, Mary had been extracting eyes from potatoes with such energy that they had been flying round the kitchen like hailstones."

"No one can fail to be interested in a murder.  Simple people like Griselda and myself can admit the fact, but anyone like Raymond West has to pretend to be bored - at any rate for the first five minutes."

Book Review: Death in Kashmir by M. M. Kaye

Death in Kashmir. M. M. Kaye. St. Martin's Press (1985) (First Published 1953). 320 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Afterwards Sarah could never be quite sure whether it was the moonlight or that soft, furtive sound that had awakened her."

Summary (Goodreads): When young Sarah Parrish takes a skiing vacation to Gulmarg, a resort nestled in the mountains above the fabled Vale of Kashmir, she anticipates an entertaining but uneventful stay. But when she discovers that the deaths of two in her party are the result of foul play, she finds herself entrusted with a mission of unforeseen importance. And when she leaves the ski slopes for the Waterwitch, a private houseboat on the placid shores of the Dal Lake near Srinagar, she discovers to her horror that the killer will stop at nothing to prevent Sarah from piecing the puzzle together.

My thoughts:  The author begins the book with an Author's Note, which is something I really appreciate.  Next is a pronunciation guide and a map.  The combination of these three pieces put me right into the story.  In her note, the author tells the reader that she was living in Srinagar, the capital city of Kashmir, when she began writing this mystery.  Her intimacy with the area comes through in her writing. 

As you can tell from the first line, the story starts with some suspense.  A death has already occurred and now something has awakened Sarah.  She is on edge, but tries to tell herself she is being silly, after all the death was an accident, wasn't it?  She is not sure. A persistent sound gets her out of bed to investigate.  It is through this investigating that she meets Janet and quickly discovers Janet is not who she says she is.  From this beginning, the story never slows down.  It is not edge of your seat suspense the entire time.  There are dinners and dances and shopping in the market, but underneath it all is a buzzing uncertainty.  

The author was leaving clues throughout the story, and I remember having a slight suspicion of the culprit, but quickly dismissed it.  Due to circumstances, Sarah had to get involved in investigating.  Well, it wasn't entirely due to circumstances.  There was an instance where she went snooping around by herself in the middle of the night and discovered some things that she probably shouldn't have which put her in danger.  But mostly the mystery came to her.  

There were several scenes that took place at night with a moonlit sky.  The moon was definitely a theme throughout the story.  I'm not sure I would have picked up on this if the author hadn't mentioned in her note that she had originally titled the book There's a Moon Tonight.  After the first mention of the moonlight, I kept my senses on alert for another mention.  That added a fun extra layer to the story. Another fun layer was the humor and the little bit of romance. The story is peopled with interesting characters. 

The author's description of the countryside and the homes made me feel like I was there.  I can still picture the interior of the houseboat Sarah spent some time on.  

M. M. Kaye is a new author to me and I am glad to have discovered her.  I am also glad that I picked up several of her mysteries at a used book store this summer.  I am looking forward to reading another mystery by this author soon.

Quotes:

"'But then of course so many people are silly about a man who doesn't do any fighting in the war.  So stupid of them, because it's so much more sensible not to, don't you think? If we all just didn't, I mean, well where would people like Hitler have been?'  'In Buckingham Palace and the White House I imagine,' grunted her husband. 'Don't be silly, dear.  How could he have been in two places at once?'"

"The sky behind the feathery boughs of the pepper trees at the far end of the garden was turning from lemon yellow to a soft shade of green, and the air was sweet with the scent of roses and jasmine and fragrant with the smell of water on dry, sun-baked ground."

"She disappeared with the speed of a diving duck as the little gilt clock in the drawing-room struck the quarter."

Book Review: Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Her Royal Spyness (Her Royal Spyness #1). Rhys Bowen.  Berkeley Publishing Group (2007). 324 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Castle Rannoch, Perthshire, Scotland. April 1932. There are two disadvantages to being a minor royal."

Summary:  Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter of the Duke of Glen Garry and Rannoch, is thirty-fourth in line for the throne of England.  As such, she is expected to behave in certain ways and do certain things.  One of these things is marrying into a noble family.  Being that she has already come out in society, this is at the top of everyone's mind.  Everyone being her brother, her sister-in-law and the Queen.  

When her brother cuts off her allowance, she decides it is time to make her own way in life.  She decides to go to London and stay in the family house there.  The problem is she can't afford a maid.  She has never had to dress herself or cook her own food before.  She decides the only thing to do is to get a job, which is unheard of for a member of the royal family no matter how distant the throne is.  

After a hard day's work as a maid, she returns to the family home to find a corpse floating in the bathtub.  Concerned that her brother might have been involved and concerned that her secret life as a maid might be revealed, Georgie hesitates to notify the police.  Her fears are realized when she does notify the authorities - both she and her brother are suspects.  With the help of her friend Belinda, she tries to discover who this man in the bathtub is and who might want him dead.  

My thoughts:  This is one of those books that is so easy to read.  The writing style is witty and sharp, the dialogue is humorous and the storyline is well paced.  

Lady Georgiana is a brave woman.  She is willing to do things she has never done, such as collect coal from the cellar to start a fire, attempt to make herself a meal, and reside in a big, old drafty house by herself.  But often times her courage and bravery get her into trouble. At times she had to invent lies about the lies she had already told.  While she was unwilling to compromise in some areas, in others she readily did things she ought not do.  Georgie is an entertaining main character and I enjoyed her narration.  

The supporting cast is equally well developed.  Her friend Belinda is always there for her, unless she has been out late to a party.  Her constant talk about sex did get annoying.  Fortunately, it wasn't overly graphic.  One of my favorite characters was Georgie's grandfather on her mother's side.  He is definitely not in the royal line and is a little rough around the edges.  I love the relationship he has with Georgie.  And then there's Darcy, who is a good friend to Georgie and maybe more. 

The mystery wasn't overly strong and was kind of overshadowed by Georgie's life, but since this was the first book in the series, that is somewhat expected.  There is definitely a mystery to be solved and it held my interest and surprised me with its outcome. 

I enjoyed learning about the expectations of the royal family and of society in general in 1932 London.  Times were tough and belts needed to be tightened even in the royal family.

There was a lot to like about this one, but I don't think I liked it as much as I thought I would.  I was a little underwhelmed probably due to the fact that I had heard so many great things about this series and had high expectations. It was a light,  fun read and one that I would recommend.

Quotes:

"There is nothing as lovely as a London Park in springtime.  Daffodils among the trees, new green emerging on those spreading chestnuts, elegantly turned-out horses crossing from the riding stable toward Rotten Row, and courting couples strolling hand in hand or sitting rather too close to each other on the benches."

"Lunch was a huge success - lovely leg of lamb, crispy roast potatoes and cabbage from Grandad's back garden, followed by baked apple and custard."

Book Review: This Side of Murder by Anna Lee Huber

This Side of Murder (Verity Kent #1). Anna Lee Huber. Kensington (2017). 289 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Lines: "You might question whether this is all a ruse, whether I truly have anything to reveal.  But I know what kind of work you really did during the war.  I know the secrets you hide.  Why shouldn't I also know your husband's?"

Summary:  Verity Kent is invited to a house party to celebrate the engagement of one of her deceased husband's fellow officers.  Initially she intends to send her regrets.  But when she receives a letter claiming the writer had information about her late husband and his treasonous activities, Verity decides she must attend the party and perhaps learn more about this accusation of treasonous activity.  

Soon after the party gets started, one of the guests disappears.  Verity and three other guests discover his body when they are exploring the island.  Before long another body is discovered.  To make matters worse, there is a storm raging outside and the phone lines are down.  Will Verity be able to discover who the murderer is before someone else loses their life?

My thoughts:  I love the covers of the books in this series.  I was also drawn to the time period - the time between the wars.  

I was glad I had read a few reviews before beginning this book because several of them indicated that the beginning of the book was slow.  I found this to be true and probably would not have continued had I not been prepared for this. There is a lot of set up for the first half or so of the book.  But once things start to happen it really picks up.  

It has been fifteen months since Verity's husband was shot in a battle.  She thought she would be done grieving by now, but finds herself still missing him terribly.  That makes it especially hard to attend this party where everyone knew her husband.  The letter she received suggesting that her husband was involved in treasonous activities is what compels her to go.  She can't believe Sidney would have been involved in anything treasonous, but then again, they hadn't had a lot of time to spend together before he was sent off to war. Verity was keeping secrets from her husband, so it is possible he was keeping secrets from her.  

The setting and atmosphere of this book are similar to And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.  It is set on an island in a large house, actually a castle in this case, and when a storm hits, no one can leave.  However, that is where the similarities end.  Verity and one of the other guests, Max, trust one another, but they are not sure who else they can trust.  The mystery is not straight forward and after a major plot twist, things get more complicated. 

Another thing that took away from my enjoyment of the novel was a section involving a seance and tarot cards.  In most cases, this would have been a deal breaker for me.  However, all of the characters except the one who wants to hold the seance were uncomfortable and Verity lets the reader know that she believes the other character is just pretending to converse with the dead person.  Also, it occurred more than half way through the novel and by that point I wanted to finish.  

Unfortunately, I was left with mixed feelings about the novel.  I have heard great things about Anna Lee Huber and her writing is terrific, but I am not sure if I will continue with this series. 

Quotes:

"Our fighting men simply didn't discuss such things with those at home.  They couldn't. Not without exposing us to the horrors they were trying so hard to keep us from finding out about."

"The music grew softer and the hushed sounds of night reached my ears again - the hum of crickets and the rustle of the wind trailing its fingers through the leaves.  On this side of the castle, away from the sea, the trees grew thicker, for I could smell them and the faint perfume of London Pride in the bushes bordering this end of the terrace."

Book Review: Because I Could Not Stop for Death by Amanda Flower

 

Because I Could Not Stop for Death (Emily Dickinson Mystery #1). Amanda Flower. Berkley Books (2022). 336 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Icy rain slapped the dirt road, turning it into mud."

Summary:  Willa Noble has just been hired as the new maid at the Dickinson household.  She didn't expect to get the job and she especially didn't expect to get it immediately.  But, when Emily Dickinson overheard her interview with the head housekeeper, she insisted that Willa be hired immediately.  Emily explains that she "likes someone who would sacrifice herself for her family and duty" and she believes Willa is just that sort of person. 

Soon after Willa begins working for the Dickinson family, her beloved brother, Henry, is killed by a horse at the stable where he works.  The police and stable owner claim it was an accident caused by Henry's carelessness.  However, Willa knows her brother wasn't careless and finds it hard to believe he would do what he is being accused of doing.  Since Henry can't speak for himself, Willa feels she must get to the bottom of what really happened to her brother.  Fortunately, Emily Dickinson feels the same way and is eager to join Willa in her investigation.  

My thoughts:  Other than reading some of Emily Dickinson's poetry, I know very little about her life. Whether or not her character is true to life, she is enjoyable.  She is a young woman who knows her own mind and isn't afraid to speak it, often upsetting her father.  She also knows that her father would do almost anything for his children.  According to her sister, Lavinia, it is only for Emily that their father would do almost anything.  Lavinia is very protective of her sister.  She doesn't like Willa because she sees her as being a bad influence on Emily.  What Lavinia doesn't know is that it is Emily who encouraged Willa to begin looking into her brother's death.  

The story is told from Willa's point of view and really she is the main character.  She is a young woman who knows her place, works hard and is kind.  It is no wonder that Emily likes her immediately.  Her brother was the only family she had left in the world, so it is devasting when he is killed.  At first she is not sure if she wants to know what happened to her brother.  But the more she learns, the more determined she becomes to find out.  

The Dickinson family lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.  Mr. Dickinson is in politics, so the family travels to Washington D.C. for a short while.  This made for an interesting look at the country during this time period (1855). Politics come into the story not only because of Mr. Dickinson, but also because of the mystery.  Slavery was a big topic in many peoples minds.  The Underground Railroad was in operation and there were people called Slave Catchers who pretended to be part of the Railroad, but would actually catch slaves and take them back to their owners in the south.  And this was legal.  All of this comes into play in regards to what happened to Henry.  It was fascinating to learn about all of this and to see the layers get peeled away as the story progressed.  

There is an author's note at the end of the book which sheds a little more light on what is fact and what is fiction. This is a great start to a new series and I look forward to seeing where the next book takes Willa and Emily.

Quotes: 

"He gave a portion of his meal to the mouse family that lived in the walls.  He was kind.  Yes, he had a way of finding trouble, but his motivation was kindness and doing what he believed was right. Maybe that didn't follow convention and maybe it made his life more difficult, but he did not care."

"As soon as I stepped into the room, I inhaled the post office scent.  It was a mix of fresh paper, old books and lavender.  The lavender came from a wreath on the door."

"This ice cream cone that might have only cost a few cents was proof to me that there was still joy to be found in the world."

Book Review: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

 

And Then There Were None. Agatha Christie. Harper Collins (2011) (First Published 1939). 247 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "In the corner of a first-class smoking carriage, Mr. Justice Wargrave, lately retired from the bench puffed at a cigar and ran an interested eye through the political news in The Times."

Summary:  Ten people have received a letter inviting them to Soldier Island.  Some have been offered jobs, others invited to visit a friend they haven't heard from in a while.  As they arrive on the island and begin talking amongst themselves, they discover that no one has ever met their host.  However, everything is arranged.  Food and drinks have been brought in, a butler and a cook have been hired.  While having drinks the first night, a mysterious recording accuses each of them of playing a part in a crime.  By the end of the evening, one of them is dead.  Within a few hours, another is dead and they discover there is no way off the island.  If any of them are going to survive, they will need to work together.  But who can be trusted?

My thoughts:  If reading the summary of this one doesn't make your hair stand on end, reading the book definitely will.  This is a fast-paced story that keeps you turning pages to find out who did it.

In most stories I need to have a connection to the characters.  This book is the exception.  It was definitely a plot driven story.  That is not to say that the characters weren't interesting, they were.  But, there wasn't a main character, they were all main characters as long as they were alive. Some of them were likeable, others not so much.  But, it didn't really matter.  All that mattered was moving forward in the story to find out what happened.  It was interesting to see who decided to work together and why.

Agatha Christie is called the Queen of Mystery for a reason.  I don't want to say much more than that.  If you have already read this, you understand why.  If you haven't read this, you should and it is best to go in with as little information as possible. 

Quotes:

"The whole party had dined well.  They were satisfied with themselves and with life.  The hands of the clock pointed to twenty minutes past nine.  There was a silence - a comfortable replete silence."

"'My dear lady, in my experience of ill-doing, Providence leaves the work of conviction and chastisement to us mortals - and the process is often fraught with difficulties.  There are no short cuts.'"

Book Review: Pagan Spring by G. M. Malliet

 

Pagan Spring (Max Tudor #3). G. M. Malliet. 304 pages. Minotaur Books (2013). Genre:  Mystery.

First Line: "Thursday, March 22.  The vernal equinox had come and gone, and Easter would soon be upon them."

Summary:  With Easter approaching, Reverend Max Tudor has begun working on his Easter sermon.  His relationship with Awena Owen is flourishing.  He can't imagine being happier in life than he is now.  Awena is out of town, but Max is looking forward to a dinner party hosted by some good friends that will include some newcomers to town. In the early morning hours after the party, one of the guests is found dead.  He appears to have almost made it to bed before he collapsed.  There are no immediate signs of foul play, but as the body is examined closer something seems amiss.  Once again Max is called upon to use his MI-5 training to help discover a murderer. 

My thoughts: This series has several elements that make for a good mystery series.  The main character is unique in that he was previously an MI5 agent, but has become a vicar.  It takes place in an English village.  The village is peopled with charming and eccentric residents.  I enjoy the way the series follows the seasons.  The author gives a real feel for the season by making note of the changing landscape and following the church calendar. 

The mystery this time was unique.  There was really only one main suspect.  However, there were lots of small clues along the way that needed to be recognized and figured out.  Another unique aspect was that after the mystery was solved, there was a lot of discussion about what had happened and why.  

I am not sure how I feel about Max's relationship with Awena.  It feels a bit forced and unrealistic.  We are told that Max is very happy in the relationship, but we aren't shown.  Some of the choices he is making and things he says are contradictory.  This left me feeling unsure about the main character.  

Overall I have mixed feelings about this series.  After reading the previous book, I decided not to continue with the series.  But, later decided I would give it another try.  As it stands now, I am not sure if I will go on with the series.  If the series sounds intriguing to you, I would encourage you to give it a try.  There are definitely elements to like here and your opinion may be different from mine. 

Quotes:

"The slice of Nether Monkslip in his view was of a classic village whose roots predated recorded history, a place that had survived centuries of wars and feuds and conspiracies largely because it had managed to go unnoticed."

"She was one of those lucky people born without filters; for the most part, she simply didn't care what others thought."

"But Max was genuinely fascinated by people and had a natural ability to respect differences.  In his MI5 days, this was a much-needed quality, when he was forced into forming friendships with some of the world's worst thieves and tyrants."

Book Review: The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair

The Unkept Woman (Sparks & Bainbridge #4). Allison Montclair. Minotaur Books (2022). 320 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "The woman following Iris Sparks wasn't very good at it."

Summary:  The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is thriving.  Gwen and Iris have hired a secretary and expanded the office to include one more room.  But, it is their personal lives that are not proceeding smoothly.  Gwen is attempting to gain full legal control of her life, including her son and her finances.  Her biggest obstacle remains her father-in-law.  Iris' past literally shows up on her doorstep and barges in.  Before long a woman is found dead in the flat Iris had been living in and Iris is the primary suspect.  Gwen and Iris must work fast to discover the real murderer or Iris will go to jail.

My thoughts:  Each book in this series zips along at such a fast pace.  The dialogue continues to be witty, the pace is just right and the characters are wonderful.

I absolutely love the character development in this story.  Gwen and Iris continue to grow and change.  Gwen is stepping out of her comfort zone a little more, while continuing to be a good friend, mother and daughter-in-law.  Iris is dealing with her past and making progress.  She continues to see that some of the choices she made were harmful.  I love the honesty in both of them.

A real treat was the trip Gwen and her son made to the Victoria and Albert museum to view the Britain Can Make It Exhibition.  Every bit of their trip their was described in such detail, I felt like I was wandering through with them.  Part of the exhibit included:

"Twenty-four fully equipped rooms, each by a different designer, drawing upon the combined imaginations of furniture makers, potters, engineers shifting their focus from destroying the Axis to improving the lives of ordinary households, and artists of all kinds. Each room was created for an imaginary occupant or family, with a drawing and quick biographical sketch mounted above the listing of items displayed and their manufacturers."

I found this fascinating and would have loved to see it.  

The mystery was complex and many layers had to be uncovered to figure out what was going on. Scotland Yard was involved and so was MI-6.  So of course there were things that couldn't be said and people who couldn't be known.  There were lots of twists and turns and I was completely surprised when the murderer was revealed.  

I really enjoyed this and highly recommend this series.  If you are new to it, I recommend you start with the first book, The Right Sort of Man.

Book Review: The Bangalore Detectives Club by Narini Nagendra

The Bangalore Detectives Club (Kaveri and Ramu #1). Pegasus Crime (2022). 304 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Mrs. Kaveri Murthy pulled out her oldest sari, nine yards of checked cotton in dark brown."

Summary:  Bangalore, April 1921.  Kaveri is getting used to married life in Bangalore.  She and her husband, Dr. Ramu Murthy, are still getting to know one another.  Their marriage was arranged between their families, but both feel fortunate in their spouse. One evening they are invited to a dinner at the Century Club for the doctors and their wives.  This is a chance for Kaveri to meet some of the other wives.  

Later that evening, on her way to the ladies' room, Kaveri stops to look out the window at the gardens.  She notices someone lurking in the shadows and then views an argument between a man and a woman.  Not long after she returns to her place at dinner, a woman's loud scream is heard.  Soon the party is informed that a man has been found dead.  When Kaveri learns that the dead man is the man she saw arguing in the garden, her curiosity is peaked.  Fortunately, she brings her questions to her husband.  The two of them work with the police to help discover the murderer.

My thoughts:  Kaveri is an interesting heroine.  She is unique for her time in that she has been educated.  She grew up in a home where education was valued, even for women.  She is very interested in mathematics and is determined to continue her education.  She is currently studying to be able to take an exam, but is hiding it from her husband.  Granted, she doesn't know her husband very well yet and the prevailing attitude toward women becoming educated is negative.  There were several other instances where she hid things from her husband.  I was beginning to be a little annoyed with her.  Fortunately, each instance was soon discovered by her husband and in each instance he was not upset, but was understanding and they were able to talk about it.  This ultimately led to some good character development. 

I really enjoyed the setting.  The author did an excellent job of helping the reader get a feel for India in 1921.  The story takes place in the month of May and the description of the heat as well as the beauty of the flowers and gardens helped me to travel there in my mind.  There was such a vast range of wealth in the area, from the poor cowherders to the wealthy British doctors.  

Kaveri's husband, Ramu, has a love for automobiles and has one of his own.  There were a few scenes in the story where they went on excursions in the car.  These were some of my favorite parts of the book.  

The mystery allowed Kaveri to come in contact with people from several different classes.  Since the murder took place at the Century Club, the suspects were either doctors and their wives or staff.  Of course there is always the possibility that someone was there that shouldn't have been.  Since Ramu is at work during the day, Kaveri asks her neighbor to go with her to visit some of the people she wants to question.  As her neighbor is an older woman who has lived in the area for many years, she usually knows the person or one of their family. Along the way they are able to help some people while also gathering information.

Overall, I found this a bright, cheerful read.  I look forward to getting to know Kaveri and Ramu better in the next installment.

Quotes: 

"She could not help but notice things in the world sometimes - patterns and abnormalities.  They multiplied and repeated in all directions, like random coordinates on a map, begging somebody - begging her - to make sense of them."

"The temperamental May sky, overcast and cloudy when they had entered the cottage, had gone through one of its quick mood changes, and the sun now blazed hot overhead."

"She remembered Lalita Iyengar had also been heavily decked out in gold, wearing a thick chain, and multiple large bangles jangling on each hand as she swam.  It seemed an uncomfortable price to pay for the pleasure of flaunting your wealth."

Book Review: The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill

The Woman in the Library. Sulari Gentill. Poisoned Pen Press (2022). 288 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "Writing in the Boston Public Library had been a mistake."

Summary:  Freddie Kincaid is trying to get some writing done.  She finds herself distracted by the beauty of the Boston Public Library. Then she finds herself observing the people around her.  She begins naming them and wondering how she can fit them into her current story.  After an awkward moment when she notices one of the men staring at her, introductions are finally made.  She and the three people closest to her are getting to know one another when a scream pierces the relative quiet of the library.  

When it is discovered that a woman was murdered in the library, the four acquaintances find a bond in the fact that they were together in the library when the death occurred.  As they spend more time together, friendships are formed, but so are suspicions. 

My thoughts:  This is a unique story told in a unique way.   I found it hard to put down as the twists and turns make for a suspenseful and exciting read.

Freddie is an Australian living in Boston short-term.  She won the Sinclair Scholarship which gives writers a place to stay while writing a book.  The other people she met at the Boston Public Library are there for various reasons.  One is a writer and two are attending college.  The four of them bond over trying to figure out what happened in the library that day. Their concern for one another is what often fuels their need to get together.  There is also some romance that brews between the characters.  Unfortunately, I didn't really connect with any of the characters.  Fortunately, the story is plot-driven and that kept me turning pages.

As far as the uniqueness of the story, I will just say that it is a story within a story.  Part of the story is told in letters, but not all of it.  

The mystery was interesting.  I had a pretty good idea who the killer was early on, but the details of the crime and reasons for it were a mystery to me.  There were a couple of times in the story where I started to think things were sounding a little odd, only to turn the page and find out I was right.  The author did a good job of leading the reader to a conclusion without spelling it out.  

The book contains a bit more language than I prefer in my mysteries as well as some sexual content.  The sexual content is kept to a minimum and is mostly closed door, but is still more than you would find in a cozy mystery for example.  

The strength of this book was it's uniqueness.  The story is told in such a way as to reveal the truth in layers.  There were times when I was completely confused, but it wasn't long before things became more clear.  If you enjoy stories within stories or twisty mysteries, I think you will enjoy this one.

Quotes:

"Deep down I know this is about Cain, but one should maintain one's dignity even in conversations with oneself."

"'Words have meaning.  I suppose who the author is, what he's done might change that meaning.'  'Isn't meaning more to do with the reader?'  'No...a story is about leading a reader to meaning.  The revelation is theirs, but we show them the way.  I suppose the morality of the writer influences whether you can trust what they are showing you.'"

Book Review: Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Ordinary Grace. William Kent Krueger. Atria Books (2013). 307 pages. Genre: Fiction, Mystery. 

First Line of the Prologue: "All the dying that summer began with the death of a child, a boy with golden hair and thick glasses, killed on the railroad tracks outside New Bremen, Minnesota, sliced to pieces by a thousand tons of steel speeding across the prairie toward South Dakota."

Summary:  The summer of 1961 Frank Drum is thirteen years old.  It should be a summer like most other summers, hot, dry and full of time.  Instead, it is a summer of tragedy.  Five deaths will occur in the small town of New Bremen, Minnesota before the summer comes to an end.  

My thoughts:  I must admit that the first line of the prologue almost caused me to reconsider reading the book.  I can be a sensitive reader when it comes to sadness and violence.  I had heard so many good things about William Kent Krueger that I persisted.  I am not sorry that I did.  

It was immediately evident that the book would be atmospheric.  From the first pages the reader gets a sense of the mood of the book.  The story takes place over the summer during a time when air conditioning in the Midwest was very rare.  It is hot and you get a sense that people are feeling unsettled.  A young boy has died rather violently and it is hard to understand why he wouldn't have moved when the train was coming. 

The story is told by Frank Drum as he remembers it forty years after it occurred.  He is a believable narrator and I liked the way he would occasionally insert his thoughts about a situation from his perspective as an older man.  Mostly though, his thoughts and perceptions seemed very much like a thirteen-year-old boy's would. Frank's family includes his father, who is a minister, his mother and his younger brother.  I really liked the way his relationship with his brother grows over the course of the summer. 

This is definitely a coming-of-age novel as Frank and his brother both experience situations that most parents would hope their children wouldn't experience until they are much older, if at all.  The book explores tragedy, grief, anger, prejudice, family and expectations while maintaining a thread of hope. It shows the messiness of life, but it also shows the grace of God. 

There is a part of me that wants to say I didn't like the book.  It is a story of grief and that is not always easy to read.  But it is beautifully written and ultimately it is a beautiful story.  If this sounds interesting to you I would definitely encourage you to read it.  

Content note:  There is some language that is appropriate for the situation and is not excessive. 

Quotes: 

"Bobby had a gift and the gift was his simplicity.  The world for Bobby Cole was a place he accepted without needing to understand it.  Me, I was growing up scrambling for meaning and I was full of confusion and fear."

"All three men stared at us and in their faces I could see my own fear reflected and magnified. Magnified to a degree I had not anticipated. Magnified perhaps by all the sick possibility that grown men knew and I did not.  Magnified probably by the alcohol they'd consumed.  Magnified certainly by the responsibility they felt as men to protect the children of their community."

"My father was well liked in the rural churches.  The sermons he preached, which were marked less by evangelical fervor than by a calm exhortation of God's unbounded grace, were well received by congregations composed primarily of sensible farm families who in most aspects of their public lives were as emotionally demonstrative as a mound of hay."

Book Review: Murder on the QE2 by Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain

Murder on the QE2 (Murder, She Wrote #9). Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain. Signet (1997). 304 pages. Genre: Cozy Mystery.

First Line: "The older I get, the harder it is to surprise me."

Summary:  Mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is invited to sail on the Queen Elizabeth II as one of seven guest lecturers.  She's also been asked to write a mystery play to be conducted one act per day during the crossing.  She has sailed on the QE2 before.  She and her husband took the crossing just months before he died.  While she is looking forward to making the crossing again, she misses her husband.  

Once aboard the ship she is introduced to the other lecturers and the cast of the play she wrote.  She is also introduced to Mary Ward, a woman who solved a murder mystery to win a trip on the QE2.  Jessica and Mary become fast friends.  One morning the two of them are taking a walk on the deck when Mary spots a bare foot sticking out of a life boat.  They soon discover the body of Marla Tralaine, famous actress and lecturer on the crossing.  Working with head of security, Jessica and Mary attempt to uncover secrets and discover the murderer. 

My thoughts:  A murder aboard a ship is always interesting as the murderer has to be someone on board.  The other passengers often feel afraid for their own safety and this can often take the fun out of the experience.  In this case, the captain and crew wanted to avoid letting passengers on the ship know that a murder had been committed.  They were able to keep it under wraps for several hours, but it wasn't long before rumors started circulating.

Jessica was really looking forward to taking this crossing.  She envisioned herself relaxing for hours with a good book, sitting on the deck wrapped in blankets and enjoying some of the entertainment provided by the ship.  Unfortunately, once the body of actress Marla Tralaine is found, Jessica's time is not her own.  Head of security on the ship asks for Jessica's help.  I enjoyed the addition of Mary Ward as a companion for Jessica in this story.  She is a woman who loves to read mysteries and do crossword puzzles.  She adds a new angle to Jessica's thoughts.  The two of them often dine together and sometimes take walks on the deck.  They are able to bounce ideas off one another and it is ultimately Mary who identifies the killer.

The list of suspects is long and many of them are actors, which complicates matters further.  Actors are often good at pretending to be someone they are not.  There are lots of secrets to uncover, some helpful and some not.  The killer was identified in a very unique way that was a lot of fun.

I enjoyed taking this crossing with Jessica and look forward to her next adventure. 

Quotes:

"My cabin was especially inviting at the moment. Two lamps cast a warm glow over the room, and the gentle rocking of the ship almost make it feel as though I were in a cradle. The thought of climbing into bed and reading a good book until falling asleep was compelling."

"'But isn't that what's enjoyable about being alive? Something new every day.'"

"She seemed always to see the good in people, to find a reasonable explanation for bad behavior."

Book Review: The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver

The Key to Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2). Ashley Weaver. Minotaur Books (2022). 272 pages. Genre: Historical Mystery.

First Line:  "London. 31 August 1940. It's often a man's mouth that breaks his nose, my uncle Mick was fond of saying."

Summary:  Electra McDonnell has been getting used to her new life on the right side of the law.  She has been spending her time working as a locksmith and knitting socks for soldiers.  Frankly, she is getting restless.  Her uncle Mick is out of town on a job leaving her and their  longtime housekeeper, Nacy, to keep the home fires burning.  When returning home from a job one day, she finds Major Ramsey waiting for her. 

He has a job for her.  A woman was found floating in the Thames with an unusual bracelet on her arm.  It is locked in two places and the Major would like Electra to use her skills to remove it.  Its clear that the woman was involved in espionage. In order to break the spy ring, the Major will need Electra and Uncle Mick's skills.  It becomes a race against the clock as they attempt to thwart the enemy's plans. 

My thoughts:  This second book in the Electra McDonnell series drew me in immediately.  The writing is crisp and witty.  Electra continues to be a strong character.  She was raised by her uncle along with his two boys and their housekeeper, Nacy Dean.   She is an expert locksmith, knows her way around a garage and won't shy away from a fight.  But, she is also feminine, tender-hearted and knows how to knit socks.  She is fiercely loyal to her family and country and is willing to do what she can to help the war effort.  

Uncle Mick's part in this story is smaller than it was in the first book.  However, he returns from his travels in time to help out.  Felix and Major Ramsey have large parts this time around.  There is a bit of a love triangle forming.  Electra's feelings for Felix are growing, but she has known him since she was a girl.  Are her feelings something more?  As far as the Major goes, it could never work.  They are from different worlds.  But he does seem to be fiercely protective of her.  As I have mentioned before, I don't always like romance in my mysteries.  But, I didn't find this distracting.  Instead, it is just charming and helps the reader like both Felix and the Major and get to know them better.  

The story begins just before the Germans bombed London.  The bombing is part of the story and the author did a good job of giving the reader a feel for what this must have been like.  When Electra hears the planes she hears, "the whine of Heinkel and Dornier engines".  This was very appropriate for her.  I would have heard the engines of planes, but Electra is familiar with engines of all kinds.   The McDonnell family lives far from the East End which is where most of the damage occurred.  Their feelings of fear and uncertainty are very real. 

Unraveling a spy ring is no easy task.  As the Major follows the clues along with the help of Electra and Uncle Mick, it gets more complicated before it is sorted out.  

There is a secondary story line that started in the first book having to do with Electra's mother. She never knew her and the family doesn't talk about her.  Electra only knows what she has been told, which isn't much. She would love to know more about her.  With the help of Felix, Electra makes some progress on that front.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read.  All this is left to do now is wait for the next book in the series. 

Quotes: 

"It had felt good, I realized, having virtue backing us up.  It had changed the way I looked at myself, whether I wanted to admit it or not.  I felt different, better, knowing I was working for the people of my country rather than against them."

"I ran a brush through my hair, realized it was going to be one of those days when it wasn't going to behave, and rolled it into a chignon, viciously shoving pins into it until it realized who was boss."

"The bank was one of those impressive buildings with pillared chambers and echoing vaulted ceilings.  People talked in whispers, as though it were a hospital.  Or maybe a church was more accurate; people do tend to worship money."

"One thing I had come to learn over the years was that you could never judge a book by its cover. People were seldom what they seemed on the outside."

Book Review: Murder on Washington Square by Victoria Thompson

Murder on Washington Square (Gaslight Mystery #4). Victoria Thompson. Berkley Prime Crime (2002). 336 pages. Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction.

First Line: "Sarah opened the door to find a ragged little boy on her front stoop."

Summary:  Midwife Sarah Brandt is used to people knocking on her door, so when she opens the door to find a little boy there, she assumes someone is about to have a baby.  However, the boy has been sent with a message from Nelson Ellsworth, the son of her nosy neighbor.  He is requesting that Sarah meet him.  

It turns out Nelson wants Sarah to examine a lady friend of his who is claiming to be carrying his child.  Nelson offered to marry the woman, Anna Blake, but she refused and only wants money so she can support herself.  When Sarah arrives at the boarding house where Anna lives, she refuses to see her.  The next morning Anna is found dead in Washington Square. 

The number one suspect is Nelson Ellsworth.  Sarah does not think Nelson is capable of murder and she feels an obligation to her neighbor, Mrs. Ellsworth, to prove his innocence.  Sarah seeks the help of Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy.  Unfortunately he is not assigned to the case, but because he is a friend of Sarah's and will be forever grateful to Mrs. Ellsworth for saving Sarah's life, he agrees to look into the case. 

My thoughts:  This series takes place in New York City just before the turn of the century.  It was a time when streets and homes were lit with gas powered lights, there was rampant corruption in the police department and Teddy Roosevelt was police commissioner. Every time I read a book in this series, I feel like I have been transported to a different time. 

Sarah Brandt is a widow who supports herself by acting as a midwife.  She was raised by wealthy parents and taught the proper ways to act in society.  So, when she married Tom Brandt, a physician, and moved to the poorer side of town, her parents were not happy.  In fact, they still can't understand why she doesn't allow them to support her rather than spending her time amongst the dregs of society. Sarah and her parents have reconciled by this point in the series and she has a good relationship with them both that is healing and growing.  I admire Sarah's tenacity and her desire to help whoever needs her help regardless of class.  

Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is an unusual breed in the police department.  He refuses to take bribes and does his best to investigate crimes to find the culprit.  Unfortunately, at this time in history, that was not the norm. Frank is also a widower.  He lives with his young son and his mother who cares for his son while he works.  The more Frank and Sarah work together, the more they like one another.  However, neither of them is willing to admit they are beginning to care for the other. The blossoming romance is definitely not in the forefront, which I appreciate.  I enjoy their relationship, how they are able to work so well together.  As a detective who is good at his job, Frank knows how to handle criminals and sees deception a mile away.  Sarah lends a woman's intuition as well as a eye for details Frank might miss.  She also lends her medical expertise.  

The mystery involves a woman who convinced more than one man that she loved him, was carrying his child and needed money.  It also involves the theatre world, which added an interesting twist. It also involves the press and how they could sensationalize a story and convince the public it was true, regardless of whether there was any truth to it or not. There is a lot to uncover before the mystery is solved, but there are plenty of clues along the way.

Fortunately, everything is wrapped up at the end.  However, a storyline that is carried through the series leaves us with a cliffhanger at the end.  I am so glad I won't have to wait for the next book to be published to find out what happens.  

Quotes:

"'But they're newspapers! Don't they have an obligation to tell the truth? Mr. Pulitzer has devoted himself to covering scandal and corruption in society,' she said, naming the publisher of the World."

"Sarah dressed carefully for the evening.  She didn't care about trying to impress Mr. Dennis, but she didn't want to embarrass her mother. Elizabeth Decker placed great importance on appearances, and for all Sarah knew, so did Richard Dennis.  The suit she'd bought this past summer at Lord and Taylor wasn't the height of fashion, but at least it was presentable."

"'A father wants his children to have confidence in his abilities to handle difficult situations.'"

"Women usually had a dress, usually one past its prime, they kept for doing housework and such."

Book Review: The Mystery of the Blue Train by Agatha Christie

The Mystery of the Blue Train (Hercule Poirot #6). Agatha Christie. Harper Collins (2001) (First Published 1928). 383 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "It was close to midnight when a man crossed the Place de la Concorde."

Summary:  An American millionaire acquires the three largest rubies in the world.  He has purchased them as a gift for his married daughter.  Ruth Van Aldin always gets her way and her father loves to spoil her.   She has begun to suspect her husband is seeing another woman.  Her father thinks he is a bad seed and advises her to divorce him.

In the meantime, Ruth has a trip to the Riviera planned.  As the divorce proceedings will take time, she decides to go ahead with her plans.  Her father advises her not to take the rubies on her trip, because, "We don't want to have you robbed and murdered for the sake of 'Heart of Fire'".  Unfortunately, Ruth doesn't listen to her father and takes the rubies with her.  She is riding the luxurious Blue Train to Nice.  When the train arrives at its destination, the conductor finds Ruth murdered in her cabin.  The rubies have also disappeared.  

Coincidentally, several people connected to Ruth are also riding the Blue Train, including her husband.  He is the primary suspect, but claims he didn't know his wife was on the train.  Hercule Poirot doubts Ruth's husband is the murderer.  He will have to use his little gray cells to sort through the greed and deception surrounding Ruth's murder and the robbery of the rubies.

My thoughts:  I will admit I had a hard time keeping people straight in the first part of the book.  There is a lot of set up before the crime is committed and Hercule Poirot comes on the scene.  After finishing the book and looking back at the chapter titles, it makes a lot more sense. 

It is fascinating how Agatha Christie can take so many characters and weave their stories together.  As always, it is so much fun to solve the mystery along with Poirot.  He sees things that I never see and I love to try to learn from him.

The mystery is complex as is often the case, especially when greed and love are involved. This time Poirot teams up with an unlikely assistant.  Katherine Grey has worked as a companion to an older woman.  When the woman dies, she leaves her savings to Katherine.  That is how she found herself on the Blue Train.  Poirot sees something in her and asks for her assistance with his thought processes.  

"I am not clever like you, Monsieur Poirot.  Half the things that you have been telling me don't seem to me to point anywhere at all. The ideas that came to me came from such an entirely different angle -"

And yet, in the end they both come to the same conclusion.  I really enjoyed this mystery.  I wish I could say I solved the mystery before Poirot, but that would not be true.  It was Poirot who had to explain it to me.  

Book Review: Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

Shadows of Swanford Abbey. Julie Klassen. Bethany House (2021). 416 pages. Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Christian Fiction.

First Lines: "March 1820. Worcestershire, England. Miss Rebecca Lane quaked at the thought of returning to Swanford after more than a year's absence, even though her heart had never really left."

Summary: After receiving a concerning letter from her brother's housekeeper, Rebecca Lane is returning to her childhood home.  She has been traveling for over a year as a lady's companion to Lady Fitzhoward.  The Lady has asked to accompany her as she prefers to keep traveling. Rebecca's brother, John, is obsessed with getting his manuscript published and begs Rebecca to help him.  In order to do so, she must spend a few nights at Swanford Abbey Hotel. The Abbey has been rumored to be haunted and the idea frightens Rebecca.  

She reluctantly agrees to help her brother.  A famous author is staying at the Abbey and John believes if he can just get his manuscript into his hands, he will agree to publish it.  During her stay at the Abbey, Rebecca begins to notice strange things and is especially bothered by a figure in a black hooded cloak she sees gliding through the hallway.  On top of the strange things, she encounters Sir Frederick, currently a magistrate, previously a man who broke her heart.  When the author is found dead, Sir Frederick begins to question everyone at the hotel.  As much as he wants to believe Rebecca's story, things don't add up.  Will Rebecca have the courage to tell him the truth?

My thoughts:  Julie Klassen creates well drawn, deep characters in the span of a few pages.  She is a fan of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Brontes, Elizabeth Gaskell and Agatha Christie.  You can feel the influence of each in this story.

The reader is plunged right into the action with Rebecca, but we learn more and more about her as the layers are peeled back.  She was raised in the vicarage at Swanford, but left after her parents died.  Her brother, John, seemed unable to make a living, so she took a job as a lady's companion.  Rebecca is not one to complain, she enjoys her job, even though Lady Fitzhoward can be particular. She is deeply concerned about her brother and the bad choices he is making.  She is a woman who puts the needs of others before her own.  Sir Frederick's family were her neighbors when she was growing up and she was always fond of him.  When he married the beautiful Marina, Rebecca was heartbroken.  

Sir Frederick's past is slowly revealed as well.  The reader knows from the beginning that his wife died.  But the circumstances of her death come to us slowly.  There are rumors surrounding her death and Rebecca does her best not to believe them.  Sir Frederick is an honorable man.  He is staying at the hotel with his brother, Thomas, who is always looking for some fun and harasses Frederick regularly about not being more fun.  Thomas likes to flirt with pretty woman, play billiards and enjoy a cocktail.  He doesn't care whether those things are seen as improper or not.  However, Sir Frederick knows that he can count on his brother when he really needs him.  I enjoyed the relationship these two had. 

Several of the supporting characters were well drawn as well.  Lady Fitzhoward, the housekeeper Rose, Rebecca's brother John, some of the maids, the author and his bodyguard were all characters that had stories.  This really made the book come alive. 

As can be expected, the story has a gothic feel to it.  Rumors of haunting and hooded figures seen gliding in the hallways, as well as the setting of the Abbey all added to this atmosphere.  The mystery was complex.  There were plenty of suspects, but none of them seemed to really have opportunity to commit the murder.  It was fun to watch the pieces fit together.  There were lots of secrets that needed to be exposed and these all added to the character development as well.

The story was atmospheric, suspenseful and full of great characters.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Quotes:

"It was a beautiful spencer of patterned pink satin with a gathered waist, short, ruffled peplum, and bow at the back with long ends trimmed in pleating.  The spencer was topped by a matching cape-like collar with a high ruffled neck."

"Rebecca teased, 'Were you an actress too?'  The older woman arched a sly brow.  'Who among us is not?'"

Book Review: The Big Four by Agatha Christie

The Big Four. Agatha Christie. William Morrow (2011) (First Published 1927). 211 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line: "I have met people who enjoy channel crossing; men who can sit calmly in their deck chairs and, on arrival, wait until the boat is moored, then gather their belongings together without fuss and disembark."

Summary:  Hastings returns to England and shows up unexpectedly at Hercule Poirot's residence.  As they are catching up, a mysterious man stumbles out of Poirot's bedroom and collapses.  How did the man get into the house?  Who is he and why did he write the number four repeatedly on a piece of paper.

Poirot has recently been approached by Abe Ryland, the American Soap King, to investigate some "hocus-pocus" going on in connection with a company in Rio.  Poirot has no desire to take an ocean voyage, but the sum of money offered him to investigate was such that he couldn't say no.  In the course of his investigation he has come across the term "The Big Four".  As far as he can tell it refers to a gang of international criminals.  Could the number four written on the paper by the man who collapsed be referring to this gang?  

My thoughts:  This was a bit of an unusual mystery for Hercule Poirot.  It felt more like a Mrs. Pollifax novel than an Agatha Christie novel.  

The mystery begins with the man who somehow gets into Poirot's home and then collapses.  The doctor is called for and after examining him, gives him a piece of paper to see if he will write anything.  He writes the number four repeatedly.  The doctor advises they let the man rest and recover his senses.  After the doctor leaves, the man sits up and begins reciting some things that give Poirot and Hastings several clues about The Big Four.  Now they have a puzzle to solve.  

I was bothered by the way this man showed up at Poirot's home.  There was never a definite explanation about how he entered the bedroom.  It also seemed way too convenient that he would tell Poirot and Hastings all the information about The Big Four.  Once I was able to let that go, I enjoyed the rest of the mystery.  

There are plenty of puzzles to solve and clues to follow.  There is also danger, deception and intrigue. There are explosions and kidnappings.  In usual Poirot fashion, the little gray cells are used.  I am always thankful for Hastings and his inability to use his little gray cells.  I tend to be in the dark right along with him.  

While this wasn't a typical Poirot novel, it was still a lot of fun.  

Quotes:

"Women are such wonderful observers - they see everything, they notice the little detail that escapes the mere man.  I have seen a woman identify one man out of a dozen others - and why, do you think?  She had observed that he had a trick of stroking his nose when he was agitated."

"Poirot employs a peculiar manner sometimes which makes it wellnigh impossible to know whether he is jesting or in earnest."

Book Review: A Trail of Lies by Kylie Logan

A Trail of Lies (Jazz Ramsey #3). Kylie Logan. Minotaur Books (2021). 320 pages. Genre:  Mystery.

First Line:  "There is one truth that holds across countries, across cultures, across time: getting a phone call at two in the morning is sure to make the blood race, breaths catch, heartbeats speed up."

Summary:  Jazz Ramsey's boyfriend, Nick Kolesov, is working a case out of town.  While he is gone, he has asked Jazz to check up on his mom.  Kim Kolesov is an alcoholic who lives alone and often hallucinates.  When Jazz receives a call from her in the middle of the night claiming there is a body in her backyard, she tries to remember that Kim often sees things that aren't there. However, when Jazz arrives at her home, Kim is adamant there is a body in the backyard and that she killed the man.  Jazz searches the yard and finds nothing.  

A couple of days later when Kim is still adamant that she killed a man and his body is in her yard, Jazz decides to use a Human Remains Detection dog to see if he can pick up the scent of remains.  When the dog picks up a scent in Kim's yard, Jazz is afraid Kim's story might be true.  Then a man is found dead in a nearby park with a picture of Kim and young Nick in his pocket.  Now Jazz has more questions than answers. 

My thoughts:  Jazz Ramsey is a likeable main character.  She is smart, humble and tries to do the right thing.  Her job as an administrative assistant at an all-girls school continues to be interesting.  However, it is her hobby of working with detection dogs that I find most fascinating.  In this story she works with three different dogs - one in training, one that is well trained and one that is retired.  It was fun to see their different strengths and personalities.  

We get to know Nick a little better in this installment too as Jazz is getting a glimpse into what his life must have been like growing up with an alcoholic mother. Kim's alcoholism is handled well.  She is struggling, but refuses to get help.  Nick continues to care for her the best he can.  This does give the story a bit of a heavier tone, but it never feels overwhelming and is balanced with lighter situations.  There is also a bit more language in this one.  

The relationship Jazz has with her coworkers adds some depth to the story as well.  Sister Eileen and Sarah care about Jazz like she is family.  When Jazz needs help, they are there for her.  Jazz is close with her mom and brothers as well.  The importance of family is clear. 

The mystery begins on the very first page and kept me enthralled until the end.  It is very well-paced as the layers of lies are peeled away.  There are several suspects as well as twists and surprises that kept me guessing.  Even after her life had been threatened, Jazz didn't give up.  She kept digging.  She does take some risks, but nothing over the top.

Overall, this is a great mystery with likeable, well-developed characters.  I have really enjoyed all three books in this series and am looking forward to the next one.

Book Review: A Rogue's Company by Allison Montclair

A Rogue's Company (Sparks & Bainbridge #3). Allison Montclair. Minotaur Books (2021). 352 pages. Genre: Mystery.

First Line of Prologue: "August 1, 1946. It is said that the first naval conflict of what was then called the Great War took place far removed from the main European theatres."

Summary:  The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is becoming well established.  Gwen and Iris have been able to hire their first employee and have expanded their offices.  They have also been presented with their first "international" client - someone who is not of European descent.  This presents a slight difficulty because they have no other "international" clients.  As they are contemplating how to handle this situation, Gwen's father-in-law returns home earlier than expected.  

Harold Bainbridge has caused a major disruption at the house.  He is preparing to send his grandson away to boarding school, against Gwen's wishes, threatening to fire employees and leaving home every night to go to the club.  Soon there is a murder at the club followed by two kidnappings.  Gwen and Iris must use their sleuthing skills to discover how it is all connected. 

My thoughts:  The thing that always strikes me as I begin a Sparks & Bainbridge novel is how well-written they are.  The tone is upbeat and I fly through the pages.  This one is no different.  In fact, this may be my favorite of this series so far.

Less time is spent on marriage bureau work this time.  But, more time is spent getting to know Gwen's family.  Up until now, we have only heard about Harold Bainbridge.  Now we meet him firsthand and he lives up to what we have been told.  He is a manipulative man, who only has his interests in mind.  However, it was enjoyable to see the way that Gwen relates to him.  We do see a slightly softer side of him at one point.  And we get to know Lady Bainbridge, Harold's wife, better as well.  I really enjoyed the interactions between Gwen and Lady Bainbridge.  Once again we see the excellence of Gwen's character shine through as she relates to her.  It was also a joy to get to know Gwen's son, Ronnie, a little better.

There  doesn't seem to be a mystery that requires Gwen and Iris' involvement until suddenly they are involved.  And a good mystery it is with lots of secrets to uncover as well as crossing paths with some gangsters.  There are a couple of tense moments that had me on the edge of my seat. I loved the way this one wrapped up with setting things in motion for the future.  

The next Sparks & Bainbridge novel is due out later this year.  I will be eagerly anticipating it's arrival.  If you enjoy historical fiction, love a good mystery and enjoy witty dialogue I suggest you pick up the first in the Sparks & Bainbridge series - The Right Sort of Man and get started on this series.