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Felipe (17 KP) rated The Name of the Rose in Books
Dec 3, 2020
A labyrinth of mystery with multiple dimensions, pitfalls, dead ends and revelations. (2 more)
The story and structure are brilliant.
The characters are genius and the narrative is written in way that you get sucked into and are part of the narrative.
Brilliant and entertaining introduction to semiotics.
I first read this book in my freshman or sophomore year in college after having seen the Sean Connery film adaptation. Like most novels that movies are based on, the book was far better than the movie. The movie was just a superficial touching on the themes of the book but the book was a multi dimensional journey through art, philosophy, literature and theology while captivating the reader in a very good murder mystery. The tragedy of the book is the revelation to the reader that our tendency to try to form connections between random events as and ideas is futile. The library is an allegory to the house of cards that comes crashing down when we create false narratives on tenuous connections between randomn events and ideas; connections that don't really exist.
Eco takes all of his academic experience that he has absorbed in the years and uses fiction to not only tell a good story but also to challenge us on how we see the world and interpret the signs and symbols we come into contact.
Eco takes all of his academic experience that he has absorbed in the years and uses fiction to not only tell a good story but also to challenge us on how we see the world and interpret the signs and symbols we come into contact.
A Distant Grave
10.0
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In the follow up to the critically acclaimed The Mountains Wild, Detective Maggie D'arcy tackles...
The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson's Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin
Jan Stocklassa and Tara F Chace (Translator)
3.0
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The author of the Millennium novels laid out the clues. Now a journalist is following them. When...
A Case of Bier
8.0
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In this charming madcap entry in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Bed-and-Breakfast...
Fiction Mystery Cozy Mystery Series
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated Tropical Depression in Books
Nov 12, 2021 (Updated Nov 12, 2021)
Racing a Hurricane to Solve a Murder
Sabrina Salter has returned to St. John from a disastrous vacation to New England to find out that one of the seasonal employees she and her business partner, Henry, have hired has been murdered. The police are looking at Henry as the killer since the weapon had his initials on it. As the fallout from Sabrina’s vacation shows up on the island, Sabrina tries to find a killer. With Hurricane Irma bearing down on the island, can she do it?
Yes, there is a lot going on in this book, but it all fits together perfectly. Honestly, I can’t imagine this book without any of the elements. We get a logical conclusion to the mystery, and the other storylines allow the characters to grow. I did find some of Sabrina’s behavior a little irritating, but it also allowed for some good development. There were more typos than there should be in the book. Since this is more a traditional mystery, there is a smattering of foul language. Both are worth noting only in passing. The book makes good use of changing the point of view character to fully develop the characters and tell the story. Overall, I loved getting to spend time with Sabrina again. I’m hoping we get to see how she is fairing after the events of this book soon.
Yes, there is a lot going on in this book, but it all fits together perfectly. Honestly, I can’t imagine this book without any of the elements. We get a logical conclusion to the mystery, and the other storylines allow the characters to grow. I did find some of Sabrina’s behavior a little irritating, but it also allowed for some good development. There were more typos than there should be in the book. Since this is more a traditional mystery, there is a smattering of foul language. Both are worth noting only in passing. The book makes good use of changing the point of view character to fully develop the characters and tell the story. Overall, I loved getting to spend time with Sabrina again. I’m hoping we get to see how she is fairing after the events of this book soon.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated The Invisible Assistant in Books
Jan 26, 2022
Magical Locked Room Mystery
Magician Eli Marks is surprised when his ex-wife, Deirdre, shows up at one of his magic shows with her new husband, Homicide Detective Fred Hutton. However, they are there seeking Eli’s advice. A recent murder/suicide inside a lock townhome appears to be open and shut to Fred, but Deirdre, a DA, is certain that something else is going on, and she is hoping that Eli’s unique view of things will help explain what really happened. Will his knowledge of magic help solve the case?
I’ve been meaning to read this story for a while, and I’m glad I finally did. This is a classic locked room mystery, and I always enjoy those. The solution was logical if a bit of a stretch. Still, I was willing to buy into it. We really only have three characters in this story, and the interaction between them was fun. As a fan of the series, I laughed at some of it, in fact. I suspect that those coming to the characters first the first time will find it just as amusing. The story is set early in the series, so fans should expect those dynamics as they read. Whether you are new to Eli’s world or not, this is a short story you’ll enjoy.
I’ve been meaning to read this story for a while, and I’m glad I finally did. This is a classic locked room mystery, and I always enjoy those. The solution was logical if a bit of a stretch. Still, I was willing to buy into it. We really only have three characters in this story, and the interaction between them was fun. As a fan of the series, I laughed at some of it, in fact. I suspect that those coming to the characters first the first time will find it just as amusing. The story is set early in the series, so fans should expect those dynamics as they read. Whether you are new to Eli’s world or not, this is a short story you’ll enjoy.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Apr 26, 2022
Tough Luxe
6.0
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She wanted to visit an old friend. The "friend" is in jail for murder. Can Samantha find new...
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated The Kill of It All in Books
Jan 18, 2024
Filming a Commercial is Killer
Madison Night has recently shot a commercial to drum up customers for her recently reopened business. But she regrets it when she gets talked into filming a public service commercial for the local police department. Madison is replacing an actress who wasn’t working out, but she doesn’t expect to find the woman dead behind the building where they are supposed to film. Suddenly, the crew are looking like suspects. Can Madison figure out who committed the crime?
I let a little more time than normal go between visits with Madison, but it was wonderful to be back in her presence. The story starts quickly and doesn’t let up, with several great surprises on the way to the logical climax. The characters, both returning and new, are as strong as always, and I enjoyed seeing Madison grow a bit more here. Fans of Doris Day movies will recognize the setup from one of them, but that movie wasn’t a murder mystery. There are plenty of great surprises along the way (and another couple of fun homages). Unfortunately, there are still a few things that I wish had been caught in an edit, but they are minor irritants. If you are looking for a fun mystery, be sure to pick up this series.
I let a little more time than normal go between visits with Madison, but it was wonderful to be back in her presence. The story starts quickly and doesn’t let up, with several great surprises on the way to the logical climax. The characters, both returning and new, are as strong as always, and I enjoyed seeing Madison grow a bit more here. Fans of Doris Day movies will recognize the setup from one of them, but that movie wasn’t a murder mystery. There are plenty of great surprises along the way (and another couple of fun homages). Unfortunately, there are still a few things that I wish had been caught in an edit, but they are minor irritants. If you are looking for a fun mystery, be sure to pick up this series.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2516 KP) rated Broken Trust in Books
Mar 27, 2026 (Updated Mar 27, 2026)
Will Jim & Sally’s Relationship Survive This Case?
Jim has been called to the scene of a murder in the office of a local mining company. The victim is Lonnie Butler, a friend of his – in fact he and Sally helped Lonnie get the job just a few months ago. Despite the fact that Jim’s sister and her two kids are coming for a visit, Jim can’t help but keep investigating. Unfortunately, one of Sally’s current clients has come up as a suspect in the case. She doesn’t feel she can share what she knows without crossing ethical lines, so she starts trying to figure out what really happened to Lonnie. Will the case come between them? Will they still be able to find Lonnie’s killer?
The mystery was good, with strong suspects that kept me engaged even when I began to suspect where the mystery was going. The wrap up was strong. The relationship issues were a very strong subplot. While one small aspect made me roll my eyes, the main issue was well done. I like that they both made mistakes and were both right, and their friends called them out for it. Meanwhile, I hadn’t realized how much Sally needed a friend until she got a new one here. If you haven’t read this book yet, you are in for a treat. Trust me.
The mystery was good, with strong suspects that kept me engaged even when I began to suspect where the mystery was going. The wrap up was strong. The relationship issues were a very strong subplot. While one small aspect made me roll my eyes, the main issue was well done. I like that they both made mistakes and were both right, and their friends called them out for it. Meanwhile, I hadn’t realized how much Sally needed a friend until she got a new one here. If you haven’t read this book yet, you are in for a treat. Trust me.
