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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine in Books

May 16, 2025  
The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine
The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine
P.J. Fitzsimmons | 2025 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Tickle Your Funny Bone with this Tale
Anty is developing a reputation for solving sticky problems, so a friend reaches out to him when two relatives die in a duel. Since a family fortune is on the line, who dies first is important. However, Anty has hardly looked at the scene before he realizes it was murder. Considering the victims were found in a locked room, how did the killer pull it off?

I’ve got to make time to read this series faster, because this was another wonderful entry. The mystery was sufficiently puzzling with plenty to keep me engaged. And we reached a logical climax that explained the how and the who. The characters are a little thin, but that is in service to the comedy. The laughs come from a very dry British wit and plenty of sarcasm. I was laughing on page one, and smiling or laughing the rest of the way through the book. If that’s what you are in the mood for, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse in Books

Oct 29, 2025  
The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse
The Case of the Carnaby Castle Curse
P.J. Fitzsimmons | 2025 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Is Anty’s Favorite Steward a Killer?
When Anty’s favorite steward, Carnaby, doesn’t return to London from his vacation, Anty sets out to find out what is happening. He is surprised to learn that Carnaby’s family owns a castle. But it comes with a curse that has just carried off the patriarch’s new wife. Or was it murder? Anty is determined to find out and clear Carnaby of suspicion.

This book doesn’t play too much into spooky, but it does have some elements that made it fun to read during October. The mystery is strong with several elements that kept me guessing until the end. As always, I appreciated how the mystery was laid out. The suspects could have been a little stronger, but I did still care about the outcome. The writing took me a chapter to get used to, but once I did, I was easily caught up in the story and laughing at the very dry British humor. No matter what time of the year you read this book, you’ll be glad you picked it up.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Buried in Shamrocks in Books

Feb 25, 2026  
Buried in Shamrocks
Buried in Shamrocks
Lisa Q. Mathews | 2026 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Can Kate Make Her Ex an Ex-Suspect?
Kate Buckley and her daughters are back in Shamrock for the summer. They’ve arrived just in time for the Great Shamrock Fair. But then Kate finds out her ex-husband is in town with his band to perform at the event. And his new fiancée is in town, too. But when she winds up dead, the pressure is on to find the killer before it dampens the fair. Can Kate keep her ex-husband out of jail?

I was glad we got a return visit. Once again, the town and characters are charming. And I enjoyed getting to see some of the characters and their relationships grow. The mystery does have some pacing issues, but it does reach a logical climax that I really enjoyed. A couple of the subplots felt like they could have given us a bit more here while still leaving things open for the next book. But the characters made the pages fly by all too quickly. You’ll find them charming as well.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2510 KP) rated Egg Drop Dead in Books

Apr 11, 2025 (Updated Apr 11, 2025)  
Egg Drop Dead
Egg Drop Dead
Vivien Chien | 2020 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Catering to a Killer
Lana Lee has decided to expand her family’s restaurant into catering, and their first gig is for family friend Donna Feng. But the party ends when Donna’s nanny is found floating in the pool. While the police look at Donna, Lana finds evidence that it might actually tie to Donna’s past. But how could that tie in to this murder?

Donna and her past were plot points for the first book in this series, so if you haven’t read that book, know there are spoilers here. I was actually happy to see this come up again with enough background to refresh my memory. There are some good clues, although I’m not sure the villain’s actions at the end made perfect sense. Still, I was hooked on the suspenseful climax. Many of the regulars took a backseat, which was good in the case of Lana’s family. But we got some great new characters, one of which I hope pops up again. This series is getting stronger as it goes along. Fans who are behind will enjoy this entry.