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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Wild Irish Rose in Books
Mar 2, 2022
Molly’s Back!
It’s February 1907, and Molly Murphy Sullivan’s life has settled into the busyness of everyday life for a wife and mother. However, she feels the desire to return to her old life as a detective when her husband, New York Police Captain Daniel Sullivan, comes home with tales of his latest case. Seems a young woman newly arrived from Ireland has been accused of murder on Ellis Island. Molly can’t help but make the connection to when she first arrived several years before. Can she find out what really happened?
It's been years since we last visited with Molly, and I have missed her. Within pages, it was like no time had passed. Unfortunately, some of the bad remained, like how Daniel can run hot and cold, especially when it comes to Molly’s investigation. I get that it is accurate for the time, but can he grow out of it, please? However, there are other times I loved his character. Molly is her usual strong self, and the supporting players are as fun as always. The pacing was a little uneven early on, but it got much stronger as it went along. The solution was perfectly logical and wonderfully page turning. I hope we haven’t heard the last of Molly.
It's been years since we last visited with Molly, and I have missed her. Within pages, it was like no time had passed. Unfortunately, some of the bad remained, like how Daniel can run hot and cold, especially when it comes to Molly’s investigation. I get that it is accurate for the time, but can he grow out of it, please? However, there are other times I loved his character. Molly is her usual strong self, and the supporting players are as fun as always. The pacing was a little uneven early on, but it got much stronger as it went along. The solution was perfectly logical and wonderfully page turning. I hope we haven’t heard the last of Molly.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated The Shadow of Memory in Books
May 11, 2022 (Updated May 11, 2022)
Is a Cold Case Leading to Modern Murders?
Kate Hamilton and her fiancé, Tom Mallory, are trying to plan their wedding, but having difficulty making decisions. Meanwhile, Kate and her colleague, Ivor, are asked to sell a painting that might be several centuries old. Something about it seems off to Kate, however. Then there’s the murder in Kate’s village with ties to a friend of hers. Kate begins to think these events are connected, but can she prove it?
There is a lot going on here, but I never had trouble following the story at all. I’m impressed with how everything comes together at the end without dropping any of the plot points along the way. The characters we already know are wonderful, and it is great to see their relationships growing. The new characters feel real, even though they don’t get that much page time. This book is on the more serious side of the cozy spectrum, but that’s just an observation, not a warning. I was actually frustrated that life kept getting in the way of my reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Fans will be pleased. If that isn’t you yet, start this series today.
There is a lot going on here, but I never had trouble following the story at all. I’m impressed with how everything comes together at the end without dropping any of the plot points along the way. The characters we already know are wonderful, and it is great to see their relationships growing. The new characters feel real, even though they don’t get that much page time. This book is on the more serious side of the cozy spectrum, but that’s just an observation, not a warning. I was actually frustrated that life kept getting in the way of my reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Fans will be pleased. If that isn’t you yet, start this series today.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Murder Italian Style in Books
Jun 18, 2025
Samantha Sleuths in Style on a New Continent
Samantha and her husband thought his father was treating them to a vacation to visit family friends in a small Italian village over New Years. When they arrive, however, they learn that Samantha’s ability to solve crime has been requested. Twenty-six years ago, a murder occurred in the village, and their hostess’s boyfriend has been serving time for the crime ever sense. While reluctant at first to figure out what happened, Samantha soon becomes intrigued. Can she overcome the language barrier to find the truth?
Since we are out of the country, we don’t see most of the usual gang, but the new characters make up for it. We come to care for them enough to make us care about the outcome of this cold case. There are a couple of small things that could have used a little more explanation, but the main questions are answered satisfactorily. We may be in a foreign country, but we still get Samantha’s usual wit and breezy narration. And her love of snack foods takes an Italian turn, which left me hungry. Fans will enjoy this trip abroad. Pack your bags for another fun mystery.
Since we are out of the country, we don’t see most of the usual gang, but the new characters make up for it. We come to care for them enough to make us care about the outcome of this cold case. There are a couple of small things that could have used a little more explanation, but the main questions are answered satisfactorily. We may be in a foreign country, but we still get Samantha’s usual wit and breezy narration. And her love of snack foods takes an Italian turn, which left me hungry. Fans will enjoy this trip abroad. Pack your bags for another fun mystery.
JD
Jane Doe January: My Twenty-Year Search for Truth and Justice
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Emergency Powers (Imogen Trager #3)
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Lesley (60 KP) rated Rust & Stardust in Books
Aug 9, 2018
Stellar book!
Thank you so much to Goodreads and T. Greenwood, I was a lucky giveaway winner. I have never read any of Greenwood's books, and I read this voluntarily.
Firstly, this book was absolutely beautiful in the face of a terribly ugly subject matter. For once, the blurbs on the book cover were extremely accurate. I do wish I hadn't Googled the real Sally Horner case when I was 90% done with the book, thinking that everything that was gonna happen had already happened. Don't do that. But even having done that, I sat through the last 10% blubbering in public. I was crying on and off during reading the book, as my heart just ached for this poor girl and the cast of characters that saw her light as they came into her life. I fell in love with Sally, and with all the kind souls that surrounded her as she was being abused. Emotionally engulfing, sad but beautiful, this was one of the most unique reading experiences I have ever had. It felt like a massively upgraded In Cold Blood, with an absolutely gripping writing style that will leave you heartbroken and encouraged at the same time. If you read one book this year, consider making it this one.
Firstly, this book was absolutely beautiful in the face of a terribly ugly subject matter. For once, the blurbs on the book cover were extremely accurate. I do wish I hadn't Googled the real Sally Horner case when I was 90% done with the book, thinking that everything that was gonna happen had already happened. Don't do that. But even having done that, I sat through the last 10% blubbering in public. I was crying on and off during reading the book, as my heart just ached for this poor girl and the cast of characters that saw her light as they came into her life. I fell in love with Sally, and with all the kind souls that surrounded her as she was being abused. Emotionally engulfing, sad but beautiful, this was one of the most unique reading experiences I have ever had. It felt like a massively upgraded In Cold Blood, with an absolutely gripping writing style that will leave you heartbroken and encouraged at the same time. If you read one book this year, consider making it this one.
The Devil at Genesee Junction: The Murders of Kathy Bernhard and George-Ann Formicola, 6/66
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Today you'd call Ballantyne suburban, but back then, at the start of the summer of 1966, it was...
The Shadow of the Wind: The Cemetery of Forgotten Books 1
8.8
Rate It
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A stunning literary thriller in the tradition of Umberto Eco. The discovery of a forgotten book...
Off with His Head / Singing in the Shrouds / False Scent
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Commemorating 75 years since the Empress of Crime's first book, the seventh volume in a set of...
W
Witchfinder
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A brilliant novel of espionage and betrayal from 'one of Britain's most accomplished thriller...