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Fruit Bat (42 KP) rated A Grim Almanac of Norfolk in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Written in almanac form 'A Grim Almanac of Norfolk 'covers over 300 hundred years of Norfolk history. There is a story for everyday of the year and is accompanied by many black and white illustrations. Naming just a few you can find tales of bizarre accidents, smuggling, body snatching ,murder and much more. Because of the style of writing it is easy to dip in and out of with no need to read from front to back. The book is well presented and must have taken the author many hours of research to complete the book , I am enjoying reading the book and those with an interest in social history will find it interesting , however some people may find it repetitive as the book has a running theme.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Altered Carbon in TV
Mar 3, 2018 (Updated Mar 3, 2018)
Disappointing
There were a lot of aspects of this sci-fi thriller that I wanted to love, but the constant hyper-specialisation of women's bodies became irritating.
Similar to Blade Runner in terms of the setting, this dystopian series follows Takeshi Kovacs, after his downloaded self is put into a new body 250 years later, and he is forced to solve the murder of a man who has no memory of what happened to him in his last moments. In the future, humans have 'sleeves' and can officially never die but just get put back into a new body.
After a while, this just bordered on ridiculous (more so than your average sci-fi), and there are far too many storylines happening at the same time. I began tuning out after a while.
Similar to Blade Runner in terms of the setting, this dystopian series follows Takeshi Kovacs, after his downloaded self is put into a new body 250 years later, and he is forced to solve the murder of a man who has no memory of what happened to him in his last moments. In the future, humans have 'sleeves' and can officially never die but just get put back into a new body.
After a while, this just bordered on ridiculous (more so than your average sci-fi), and there are far too many storylines happening at the same time. I began tuning out after a while.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated File M for Murder (Cat in the Stacks, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Charlie Harris is delighted to have his daughter, Laura, in town for the semester teaching drama at Athena College. He’s less excited about having Connor Lawton as the writer in residence since the playwright is nasty man. However, it is still a surprise when Laura finds him murdered late one afternoon. Who hated Connor enough to kill him?
Having Laura in town was wonderful since it gave us a chance to get to see a different side of Charlie. We’re actually getting a rather large cast of characters already, but I truly love them all. Yet the characters never slow down the plot, which builds steady to a logical yet surprising climax.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-file-m-for-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Having Laura in town was wonderful since it gave us a chance to get to see a different side of Charlie. We’re actually getting a rather large cast of characters already, but I truly love them all. Yet the characters never slow down the plot, which builds steady to a logical yet surprising climax.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-file-m-for-murder-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Maple Mayhem (Sugar Grove Mystery, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Dani is working to set up a co-op for the syrup harvesters in her area so some of the smaller businesses can stay afloat. But someone has started to sabotage the farms that plan to join. But when murder gets added to the mix, Dani really has to dig in and figure out what is happening.
Despite several rounds of sabotage, this book started out a little slowly with an emphasis on Dani’s love life over the mystery. However, things really picked up in the second half. The characters were great once again, and I enjoyed spending time with them, which kept the first half from dragging too much.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/09/book-review-maple-mayhem-by-jessie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Despite several rounds of sabotage, this book started out a little slowly with an emphasis on Dani’s love life over the mystery. However, things really picked up in the second half. The characters were great once again, and I enjoyed spending time with them, which kept the first half from dragging too much.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/09/book-review-maple-mayhem-by-jessie.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
After being forced to form a book club with her feuding neighbors, Bea is shocked to find the owner of the local Chinese restaurant dead behind his cash register. With events that are mirroring their first book, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, Bea and the reading group must figure out what the clues mean to find the killer.
The pace seemed off at times, although part of that was setting up the characters and the series. There was still plenty of time for some great twists that would have made Christie herself proud. Throw in some good characters and a nice dose of humor and you've got a winning series debut.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-review-mayhem-at-orient-express-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The pace seemed off at times, although part of that was setting up the characters and the series. There was still plenty of time for some great twists that would have made Christie herself proud. Throw in some good characters and a nice dose of humor and you've got a winning series debut.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-review-mayhem-at-orient-express-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Decanting a Murder (A Sommelier Mystery #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Katie Stillwell lives for wine, so when her best friend, Tessa, gets her an invitation to Frontier Winery’s 100th anniversary party, Katie gladly accepts. The night ends with tragedy when Katie finds the owner murdered. With Tessa missing, Katie must figure out what is really going on. Can she do it?
I’m not a wine drinker, but I completely enjoyed this debut. Tessa could be a bit much at times, but I liked her at others. I was bothered by how much the detective included Katie in the investigation, but overall I completely enjoyed this book. The story moved forward quickly, and Katie is a great main character. I can’t wait to revisit her.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-decanting-murder-by-nadine.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’m not a wine drinker, but I completely enjoyed this debut. Tessa could be a bit much at times, but I liked her at others. I was bothered by how much the detective included Katie in the investigation, but overall I completely enjoyed this book. The story moved forward quickly, and Katie is a great main character. I can’t wait to revisit her.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-decanting-murder-by-nadine.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Queen of Hearts (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #8) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Georgie is off to America with her mother, actress Claire Daniels. But their Atlantic crossing is marred by a jewel thief and a possible murder that only Georgie witnesses. And the danger follows them when they hit America and head to Hollywood of the 1930's.
Despite the number of miles the characters cover, the plot holds together well and we still get to see many of the series regulars, who were charming as always. Being an entertainment junky, I enjoyed this fictional look at old Hollywood and seeing the real people who made cameos over the course of the book. All told, another great read in a fun series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-review-queen-of-hearts-by-rhys.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Despite the number of miles the characters cover, the plot holds together well and we still get to see many of the series regulars, who were charming as always. Being an entertainment junky, I enjoyed this fictional look at old Hollywood and seeing the real people who made cameos over the course of the book. All told, another great read in a fun series.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/08/book-review-queen-of-hearts-by-rhys.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Frozen Heat (Nikki Heat, #4) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
When Nikki arrives at her newest case, she's puzzled by how the woman wound up in a freezer truck. But then she finds a clue that links this woman with the cold case of her mother's murder. Will she finally solve that mystery as well as solving this current one? As a fan of the show, I was surprised they went here before they resolved the parallel plot on the show. But fans don't need to worry because this book goes off in a completely different direction. There are lots of twists to keep you entertained. Sadly, the writing is still poor, but you can still get through it.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-frozen-heat-by-richard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-frozen-heat-by-richard.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated Fifth Shades of Greyhound in Books
May 31, 2018
Who Was Killed at the Party?
Pet therapist Caro Lamont is attending a fundraiser for a local greyhound rescue organization. However, the evening ends unexpectedly when a man crashes into Caro and then falls down dead at her feet. No one seems to know who he was, but someone must. Who was he? Why did someone want him dead?
This book wastes little time jumping into the murder, and it really doesn’t slow down after that. The book is filled with laughs, coming from some absurd situations and some eccentric characters. Yet the core cast of characters are still serious enough that we can care about them and the outcome. Caro finds plenty of clues and red herrings on her way to a logical solution to yet another fun mystery.
This book wastes little time jumping into the murder, and it really doesn’t slow down after that. The book is filled with laughs, coming from some absurd situations and some eccentric characters. Yet the core cast of characters are still serious enough that we can care about them and the outcome. Caro finds plenty of clues and red herrings on her way to a logical solution to yet another fun mystery.
Kristin (149 KP) rated Murder Red Ink in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I personally loved "Ghosts of San Francisco" and I'm an avid reader of anything having to do with Jack the Ripper, so when I was given the opportunity to read and review "Murder Red Ink," there was no way I could pass it up. And once again, Mr. McGhee does not disappoint!
This book involves a very interesting take on the Ripper murders, and it kept me engrossed from beginning to end. There were many times I had to put it down because of that pesky thing called "life," but I just didn't want to, and that's how you know a book is awesome.
Wonderful novel, tantalizing plot and theories, and another great story from this author. Keep 'em coming! =)
5 stars
I personally loved "Ghosts of San Francisco" and I'm an avid reader of anything having to do with Jack the Ripper, so when I was given the opportunity to read and review "Murder Red Ink," there was no way I could pass it up. And once again, Mr. McGhee does not disappoint!
This book involves a very interesting take on the Ripper murders, and it kept me engrossed from beginning to end. There were many times I had to put it down because of that pesky thing called "life," but I just didn't want to, and that's how you know a book is awesome.
Wonderful novel, tantalizing plot and theories, and another great story from this author. Keep 'em coming! =)
5 stars