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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated Blood Red in Books

May 19, 2022  
Blood Red
Blood Red
Sherri Leigh James | 2019 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Promise in the Book, but Needed Another Edit
When her husband disappears and their assets are frozen, Cissy has to return to her career as an interior designer to the rich and famous in Los Angeles to pay the bills. Fortunately, it’s a job she loves. Her current client is renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Martin, but when she appears at his mansion for a meeting, she finds him shot to death in the library. Turns out, he wasn’t as rich as he pretended, and now Cissy might not get paid. In order to free up his estate, she starts looking into his murder. Can she solve it?

I picked up this book thinking it was a cozy, but the language in it kept that from being the case. Fortunately, it did lessen (although not go away completely) as the book went along. The plot was decent and came to a logical conclusion, but it needed another edit and a bit more focus. The story really wanders and takes it’s time getting to the solution. It’s a shame because I enjoyed the characters quite a bit. I am curious where a few threads introduced here go, but I doubt I will be back for Cissy’s next adventure.
  
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ClareR (6106 KP) rated The House of Odysseus in Books

Nov 19, 2024  
The House of Odysseus
The House of Odysseus
Claire North | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Penelope is still fending off her unwanted suitors, thanks to the rules of Greek hospitality. The men are drinking the cellars dry and eating as much as they want, whenever they want, and still expecting Penelope to choose one of them. They all think Odysseus is dead.

Matters are only made more complicated by the arrival of Elektra and her brother Orestes, King of the Mycenae - and he isn’t doing at all well after his mothers murder. Then Menelaus turns up for a ‘visit’.

Really, Penelope is being sorely tested, but she’s canny enough to cope with whatever the fates decide to throw at her.

I enjoyed reading everything from Aphrodite’s point of view - at least you can’t accuse her of favouritism. These gods don’t seem to appreciate that humans have feelings too.

Claire North’s women in this story (Penelope, Elektra and Helen especially) is what makes it special. It’s clear that all three have been through a lot at the hands of men - yet they keep going.

I’m currently the third and final instalment from my local library. I know how it all ends, but I can’t wait to read Claire North’s version (no spoiler: it’s not disappointing me at all so far!).
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated Something Whiskered in Books

Feb 11, 2026  
Something Whiskered
Something Whiskered
Miranda James | 2025 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Meeting the New In-Laws is Murder
Charlie and Helen Louise are on their honeymoon to Ireland, with Disel along for the trip. They’ve timed their arrival at the castle Helen Louise’s family own to coincide with her uncle’s 100th birthday. However, as they arrive, her uncle, a baron, plunges to his death. Naturally, the family is devastated. There are also questions, like what was the baron doing up there since he hated heights. When the family asks Charlie to do a little poking around, he reluctantly agrees. But his investigation leads to secrets that could hurt the family. Will Charlie find out what lead to the baron’s death?

I’ve struggled a bit with the last couple of books, so I got this one from the library. Sadly, this wasn’t a return to form. Since the book takes place in Ireland, I missed the regular characters who weren’t here. But I did find the new characters fun and good suspects. The mystery starts out on the dark side for a cozy, but I was soon caught up in the puzzle. Sadly, the ending was anti-climactic, even for this series, and one plot point was left unaddressed. Fans will still be glad they picked up this book. Hopefully, the series will get stronger again soon.