Smashbomb (4683 KP) created a post in Friends of Smashbomb
Oct 5, 2020
Pilot Who Knows the Waters (The Lord Hani Mysteries #6)
Book
Egyptian diplomat Hani must secretly obtain a Hittite bridegroom for Queen Meryet-amen, but Ay and...
Historical Mystery Ancient Egypt
Sensitivemuse (246 KP) rated The Ninth Daughter (Abigail Adams #1) in Books
Mar 12, 2018
I think that’s what made the book enjoyable, was despite the mystery being the main hook, the political tension and bickering between the patriots and the British was always in the forefront and mentioned when need be as it was central to the story. Every so often you had mention of Abigail’s refusal to drink tea for example, or minor scuffles happening between citizens and the Redcoats.
Despite the tensions however, Abigail puts her ideas and beliefs aside and works alongside the British to solve this mystery. I enjoyed reading her character. She’s strong willed and has a good retort every so often when she needs to speak out, which shocks other characters as it wasn’t considered “proper”. I enjoy Abigail’s unorthodox behavior and it may seem as if she gives an air of an annoying stubborn woman, but it’s because of her personality that things get done no matter whose side you’re on or who you support.
John and Abigail’s relationship was also nice to read. They’re both equals and you can see a subtle quiet strength between them and they compliment each other perfectly. There’s a mutual respect between the two and if they were alive now, they would probably be a political supercouple ;)
The mystery aspect of the book was good and the intrigue is definitely noted. The setting is superbly done and very descriptive. The list of suspects was substantial and revelation of the culprit isn’t much of a surprise but the execution of obtaining the criminal and his background story was excellent to read , and was very satisfying to see the bad guys get their dues. The supporting characters are also well done - although I have to admit, there are just a little too many for me. Even minor characters have their personality and details and although it’s good and makes the world building more detailed and rich, sometimes it’s a bit hard to follow as to who’s who. (Perhaps a section of cast of characters would help in this case - especially when some characters share the same last name)
I’ll be picking up the next book to read. It’s definitely worth looking into for those that love historical fiction mysteries. The tea has been dumped!!! So you have to figure out what sort of chaos is going to happen and what mystery Abigail will solve next.
The Ghost of Hollow House
Book
Mina Scarletti returns in her most thrilling mystery yet! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes,...
Ghosts Suspense Historical Fiction
Conquest III: The Anarchy
Book
Unhappily married to Stephen de Marais, the Welsh princess, Nest, becomes increasingly embroiled in...
Historical Fiction Medieval Historical Romance
Then Came the Thunder
Book
Jessalyn Joy loves her husband, but she can’t help the feelings that arose when he volunteered for...
Historical fantasy Western Historical Mystery Adventure
The Silver Wolf
Book
The extraordinarily rich, dark, panoramic tale of an orphaned boy's quest for truth and then for...
Historical fiction 17th Century The Thirty Years War Europe
Amy Snow: The Richard and Judy Bestseller
Book
THE RICHARD AND JUDY BESTSELLER, perfect for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and Island of...
Design for Murder
Book
When mystery bookstore owner Annie Laurance is invited to stage a Mystery Night for the annual...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated The Plot is Murder in Books
Jul 14, 2021 (Updated Jul 14, 2021)
I’ve been intrigued by this series with the story inside the story idea for a while, and I’ve heard good things about it from many others. Sadly, it didn’t completely work for me. With two stories and two sets of characters to develop, I felt like both were a bit underdeveloped. The ending of the historical mystery was weak, and it featured some abrupt character growth. Meanwhile, the modern mystery featured lots of summaries that were told to us, keeping me outside. On the other hand, I loved both sets of characters, and I did feel the modern mystery came to a good resolution. I had no trouble keeping the different sets of characters straight once I realized how close both murder victims’ names were, and there was also an obvious break between the two stories each time we switched. I can understand why others love this series as much as they do, but I wish it had focused on one story and developed that one story better.