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Abide With Me : A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
One simply has to adore a nun who writes detective romance stories, has a murder club to help her with amateur sleuthing, and looks to famous literary detectives for advice. (0 more)
A young journalist is visiting Gwenafwy Abby, presumably writing a story on the new directions the church is taking. When she is found dead, Sister Agatha does not believe the theory of an accidental death. She starts a new notebook and dives into the case chasing down clues. Does the young woman’s death have something to do with scathing articles she has written in the past? Or, could it be an ex-boyfriend who just happens to show up in town, and just who was it seen entering the woman’s cottage after her death?Sister Agatha is a bit of a handful. She doesn’t do anything by half measures. One simply has to adore a nun who writes detective romance stories, has a murder club to help her with amateur sleuthing, and looks to famous literary detectives for advice. What would Miss Marple do??? Agatha’s weakness for cake lends itself to wonderful descriptions of mouthwatering traditional Welsh food. In this story, nearly everyone close to the Abby is a suspect. As much as Agatha and the reader want the killer to be found out and caught, it is likely that it will be heartbreaking for the nuns. Agatha keeps her moxie to the thrilling end of the investigation though.These are characters I would love to sit and visit with. From the put upon police department and store clerks to the individual sisters at the Abby. Maybe spend a few days learning to make cheese, especially since Gouda is my family’s fave.I loved the social commentary on modern technology and how it fits into a cloistered setting. Mostly I just giggled over the names of the shops in town, I won’t spoil them all, but, my favorites are The Fatted Calf farm to table market and Lettuce Eat Vegan.So why should you read this book? Because it is quirky, brilliant, softboiled Cozy at its best. The cast of characters and their personal stories will have you scrambling to read the first two books, or waiting impatiently for the next one.
  
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
2017 | Drama, Mystery
It is 1934, and our moustachioed detective has just solved a theft in Jerusalem. He looks forward to resting in Istanbul, but his break is interrupted with the news that he must return to London for a case. It seems like Poirot's luck is in, having just met his friend who is director of the Orient Express.

Once on board Poirot catches the attention of the businessman, Samuel Ratchett. Ratchett has received threatening letters, and wishes to hire the detective as his bodyguard during their journey, but the offer is politely declined.

That night an avalanche derails he train and the passengers are stranded. In the morning Ratchett is found dead, stabbed a dozen times. Poirot and Bouc, the train director, investigate the passengers as repairs begin. Poirot discovers a partially destroyed note connecting Ratchett to the kidnapping of Daisy Armstrong, a child who was abducted from her bedroom and held for ransom. After the ransom was paid, Daisy was found murdered. Ratchett is identified as John Cassetti, Daisy’s kidnapper and murderer.



First off, let me address the elephant in the room... that'll be Kenneth Branagh as Poirot. David Suchet will always be my Poirot, he's perfect. Branagh, for me, has an overacting issue. And that moustache, it's just ridiculous. That's not even taking into account the scene where Poirot is laying in bed and he doesn't have his night-time moustache cosy on. Crazy.

Agatha Christie's tale has definitely been given the Hollywood treatment. It's gone from the quite dark Suchet version, to something quite farcical in comparison. I can understand remaking some things, but when you have such a definitive portrayal of a character why would you recast them?

Having just rewatched the 2010 version I will say that the story line in the movie is probably easier to understand. It's also more suitable for a younger audience.

As a passing comment to everyone who was surprised to hear they were going to do Death On The Nile next... no shit, Poirot! It was dropped in at the end of the film.
  
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Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Girls Like Us in Books

Jul 12, 2019  
Girls Like Us
Girls Like Us
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Nell Flynn has reluctantly returned home to Long Island after the death of her father, Martin Flynn, a homicide detective. Nell hasn't seen her father in years, but must settle his estate after his motorcycle skidded off Montauk Highway in the early morning. She assumes her dad was drunk, per usual, when the incident occurred. Nell's mom was murdered when she was a child, and there's nothing about being home that makes her happy. But when Lee, a young homicide detective and her dad's latest partner, asks her to informally help with a case, Nell's curiosity is piqued. She is, after all, on paid medical leave from the Behavioral Analysis Unit at the FBI. Lee and team have found the body of a girl, murdered, near the dunes. It's similar to a case her father worked a year ago. Nell gets caught up in the investigation and the more she digs, the more she can't help but wonder if her father was involved in the killings.


"Dad had his own code. I learned early not to second guess it. At least, not out loud."


This was a great thriller--it features an interesting plot, a strong, complicated female heroine, and it's so easy to get caught up in it from the start. I had a great time unraveling the puzzle of the two murders, figuring things out alongside Nell. She's a really engaging character--smart, funny yet not without her own problems.


"The bureau thinks my head should be on straight, too. It isn't yet. Maybe it never was to begin with."


I really enjoyed the way this story is told--via Nell, but since she's not formally FBI or police, we get the pieces of the puzzle and story along with her. It's a twisted web that she uncovers: a dark, gritty story that feels timely and real. It's a fast read that kept me flipping the pages, desperately wanting to know what was happening next.

It's clear that Alger knows her stuff--police/FBI procedures, investigative techniques, and more. There are no tricks or unreliable narrators: just a strong, well-told story. And there's certainly series potential with Nell. I would love to see her again! 4+ stars.
  
This is the second book of the series, and even though I haven’t read the first part, I was able to follow this book quite easily. There are a few references to the past and you can quickly realise what happened. Though, if you wish to read the series, don’t start with #2, because there are a few spoilers here that you wish you hadn’t read if you read book #1. I won’t be reading #1 because the spoilers in this book ruined it for me. But I am sure it’s an amazing story as well.

Carrie works in a library and has a cat that brings with her at work. Her father is a famous bad guy, that spent all her childhood in jails. One day, he returns to town, trying to get his share of a box of jewellery that he stole with another man. But a murder changes everyone’s plans, and Carrie has to make some dangerous decisions. It is a wonderful story about family, love, Christmas and tragedy that ends well.

This is a book full of mystery and crime, but it also is warm and family-oriented. I loved the mystery - crime part of it, I loved the scenes where everyone, mostly Carrie plays out to be a detective, but there were also scenes where things were so obvious, and she made terrible choices that made me cringe.

I struggled a lot to understand and like Carrie - I didn’t like the way how she gets quiet and doesn’t talk and just cries, and suddenly when she leaves the situation, she bitches about everything and how things should've been done differently. WELL WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAD THE CHANCE, THEN? But then, there were also moments when she would come up with some interesting hypothesis and actually succeed into making a right choice, and I would think - YEAH, that’s my girl.

All in all, definitely a beautiful read, with a few tweaks here and there. I would love to read something similar to this, and for you that love chick-lit and detective stories, you would most probably enjoy this read :)
  
Batman - The Telltale Series
Batman - The Telltale Series
2016 | Action/Adventure
It's Batman (1 more)
Troy Baker
Frequent glitches are still present (1 more)
The Joker
Telltale's best for a while
The world's greatest detective gets the Telltale treatment and for the most part it works.
Playing as both Bruce Wayne and Batman is a lot of fun, the original storyline is interesting and the incorporation of the other characters in the Batman universe is well done.
Troy Baker makes a great younger Batman and the voice acting is pretty solid all round.
Unfortunately Telltale still refuse to update their engine and the game suffers from a frequent amount of glitches due to this.
Also, while I was willing to accept a different take on the characters in this world for the most part, I found this version of the Joker underwhelming. He didn't seem like much of a threat and I didn't like his voice actor either.
Overall though, as a Batman fan, I had fun with this and I am looking forward to seeing how Telltale's version of the Batman mythos plays out in future games.