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ClareR (5991 KP) rated Miss Aldridge Regrets in Books
Nov 13, 2023
Miss Aldridge Regrets is a great murder mystery set on board the Queen Mary en route to New York in the 1930’s. And boy, does Miss Aldridge have some regrets!
When a man claiming to be the fixer for a man that her father used to work with in New York appears and offers her the Broadway role of a lifetime, Lena Aldridge can’t refuse. Especially as the husband of her best friend has died in rather unusual circumstances and she could easily be dragged into the aftermath.
Whilst on board the Queen Mary, Lena meets the Abernathy’s, a very wealthy American family. But all is not as it seems, and soon murder is committed on board, and Lena is left thinking that she is in danger too.
This is a novel dripping in glamour, and Lena isn’t always comfortable with that. She comes from a very different background. Everyone seems to be very accepting of her and her ‘Italian’ looks, but if the truth comes out to the Americans, her standing could be changed in an instant.
This was fast paced, and left me guessing up to the last page. The book ends with Lena in New York, so I’m looking forward to the next book to see just what she gets up to, and whether she will actually return to England.
When a man claiming to be the fixer for a man that her father used to work with in New York appears and offers her the Broadway role of a lifetime, Lena Aldridge can’t refuse. Especially as the husband of her best friend has died in rather unusual circumstances and she could easily be dragged into the aftermath.
Whilst on board the Queen Mary, Lena meets the Abernathy’s, a very wealthy American family. But all is not as it seems, and soon murder is committed on board, and Lena is left thinking that she is in danger too.
This is a novel dripping in glamour, and Lena isn’t always comfortable with that. She comes from a very different background. Everyone seems to be very accepting of her and her ‘Italian’ looks, but if the truth comes out to the Americans, her standing could be changed in an instant.
This was fast paced, and left me guessing up to the last page. The book ends with Lena in New York, so I’m looking forward to the next book to see just what she gets up to, and whether she will actually return to England.
Murder on Pleasant Avenue
9.0
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When midwife Sarah and detective Frank Malloy’s friend and new partner Gino Donatelli is accused...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2423 KP) rated Murder on Pleasant Avenue in Books
Oct 13, 2022 (Updated Oct 13, 2022)
Did Kidnapping Lead to Murder?
When Gino’s sister-in-law shows up at the detective agency Frank Malloy now owns, she is looking for help. One of the volunteers at the settlement house where she volunteers in her neighborhood of Italian Harlem has been kidnapped by the Black Hand. Soon Sarah has joined her husband, Frank, and Gino is trying to figure out what has happened. But just as they think they’ve gotten a handle on what is happening, a murder happens and Gino is the only suspect. Can they clear him before the Black Hand decides to take revenge on him?
It was a pleasure to jump back to 1900 once again and visit these characters. The action unfolds quickly. While I figured a few things out before the characters, I didn’t have the entire picture put together until they did. I did feel the final chapter felt forced into the book, but that was a minor complaint. I love spending time with these characters. We don’t see all the supporting players, but I was happy with some of the advances we saw for the core characters. I also enjoyed the seeds planted for some upcoming historical events. I’m so glad I’ve spent the time reading this series. Anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery will enjoy it as well.
It was a pleasure to jump back to 1900 once again and visit these characters. The action unfolds quickly. While I figured a few things out before the characters, I didn’t have the entire picture put together until they did. I did feel the final chapter felt forced into the book, but that was a minor complaint. I love spending time with these characters. We don’t see all the supporting players, but I was happy with some of the advances we saw for the core characters. I also enjoyed the seeds planted for some upcoming historical events. I’m so glad I’ve spent the time reading this series. Anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery will enjoy it as well.
Hanging by a Thread
4.0
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From USA Today bestselling author Dorothy Howell, the charming new cozy mystery featuring...
Murder at the Majestic Hotel
7.0
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Against all expectations in Edwardian England, newly married American heiress Stella Kendrick and...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2423 KP) rated Until Depths Do Us Part in Books
Sep 11, 2024 (Updated Sep 11, 2024)
Sailing Away with a Dead Bride
When her nephew needs a last-minute location for his Thanksgiving wedding, Charlotte reluctantly offers the private residence ship she’s just learned her late husband bought a cabin on. Charlotte and her sister, Jane, aren’t sure about this wedding, but they are trying to be supportive for their nephew. However, their first night at sea, someone kills the bride, and their nephew becomes the obvious suspect. Can the sisters figure out what really happened?
I’d been wanting to try this author’s books for a while, and I’m glad I did. This book handled the tricky job of backstory and mystery set up well, and I was pulled into the story from the beginning. I did feel the interactions with one character got repetitive, but overall, the plot kept me engaged as Charlotte kept finding out more things that might have played into the murder. The solution was perfectly logical when we got there. We met the majority of characters at once, so I had a harder time keeping them all straight, but I did by the end. That doesn’t apply to Charlotte and Jane, who are great main characters. I enjoyed the fantasy of cruising, yet the murder is played seriously. I’m looking forward to booking another cruise with this series soon.
I’d been wanting to try this author’s books for a while, and I’m glad I did. This book handled the tricky job of backstory and mystery set up well, and I was pulled into the story from the beginning. I did feel the interactions with one character got repetitive, but overall, the plot kept me engaged as Charlotte kept finding out more things that might have played into the murder. The solution was perfectly logical when we got there. We met the majority of characters at once, so I had a harder time keeping them all straight, but I did by the end. That doesn’t apply to Charlotte and Jane, who are great main characters. I enjoyed the fantasy of cruising, yet the murder is played seriously. I’m looking forward to booking another cruise with this series soon.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2423 KP) rated Fondue or Die in Books
Dec 12, 2024 (Updated Dec 12, 2024)
A Pageant Proves that Murder is not Beautiful
This Labor Day, Willa Bauer is participating in the Dairy Days festival held in the next town over. Her employee and friend, Mrs. Schultz, is once again helping out with the Miss Dairy pageant that closes out the festival. But when Willa finds the pageant director dead, plans turn chaotic. The police don’t seem that certain that it was murder, but Willa is concerned about the safety of her friend, so she starts investigating. Can she figure things out?
I’d forgotten just how much I love this series until I picked up this book, but I was soon under the spell of the characters again. We aren’t in the usual locations as much, but that’s a minor complaint. The characters’ relationships continue to draw me in, and I liked the new characters we met as well. At least the ones who weren’t acting suspicious. One relationship gets some wonderful development. The mystery is fantastic. I kept second guessing myself until we reached the climax. I did have a niggle with the ending, but it was minor overall. As usual, these books will make you crave cheese, so you’ll be happy with the three recipes at the end. Fans new and old will find themselves savoring this entry.
I’d forgotten just how much I love this series until I picked up this book, but I was soon under the spell of the characters again. We aren’t in the usual locations as much, but that’s a minor complaint. The characters’ relationships continue to draw me in, and I liked the new characters we met as well. At least the ones who weren’t acting suspicious. One relationship gets some wonderful development. The mystery is fantastic. I kept second guessing myself until we reached the climax. I did have a niggle with the ending, but it was minor overall. As usual, these books will make you crave cheese, so you’ll be happy with the three recipes at the end. Fans new and old will find themselves savoring this entry.
A Killing in Costumes
7.0
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Stardom fades fast when you’re on the line for murder, in this debut cozy mystery perfect for fans...
Murder Comes Home
10.0
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From author Rosalie Spielman comes a quiet hometown suddenly invaded by TV celebrities... and a...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2423 KP) rated Knot in My Backyard in Books
Feb 5, 2020
Murder Hits Close to Home
Martha Rose’s neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California used to be peaceful and quiet until a local private school built a baseball stadium in the open space that used to boarder her street. She and her neighbors have tried to fight it, even after it was built, but no one is willing to listen to them. While out for a walk one morning, Martha finds the dead body of Dax Martin, the school’s baseball couch. The police begin to quickly focus on her neighbor Ed Pappas, who had a fight with the victim recently, but Martha doesn’t believe he is guilty. Can she prove it?
Quilting doesn’t play as big a part of this mystery as it did the first in the series, but it is still an active part of Martha’s life, as are her quilting friends. It’s hard to complain since this book is filled with a strong mystery. Martha strikes out early, which only adds to her drive to solve things, and makes the solution more satisfying for us when she does. Some of Martha’s attitude and actions early on were a little frustrating for me, but it made me appreciate the character growth we saw in her later in the book. The rest of the cast are great, and I enjoyed spending time with them, returning characters and new characters alike. When I read the first book in the series, I found some needless political comments off putting, but they were absent in this book. The plot does bring up a few political issues as a natural part of the plot, but they are kept in the background here – the book never stops to peach and they only come up very briefly. As a Los Angeles resident, I enjoyed seeing places I know pop up in this book, especially a few key scenes that took place near where I played ultimate Frisbee for years. Overall, this is a fun second mystery that will please cozy mystery readers.
Quilting doesn’t play as big a part of this mystery as it did the first in the series, but it is still an active part of Martha’s life, as are her quilting friends. It’s hard to complain since this book is filled with a strong mystery. Martha strikes out early, which only adds to her drive to solve things, and makes the solution more satisfying for us when she does. Some of Martha’s attitude and actions early on were a little frustrating for me, but it made me appreciate the character growth we saw in her later in the book. The rest of the cast are great, and I enjoyed spending time with them, returning characters and new characters alike. When I read the first book in the series, I found some needless political comments off putting, but they were absent in this book. The plot does bring up a few political issues as a natural part of the plot, but they are kept in the background here – the book never stops to peach and they only come up very briefly. As a Los Angeles resident, I enjoyed seeing places I know pop up in this book, especially a few key scenes that took place near where I played ultimate Frisbee for years. Overall, this is a fun second mystery that will please cozy mystery readers.