Search
Search results
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2452 KP) rated Murder with a Cherry on Top in Books
Jul 6, 2019
Rival’s Murder Cools Off Opening Week
Kate McKay has returned to her hometown of Wolfet’s Roost in the Hudson River Valley of New York, and she has opened her own ice cream shop. Her only possibly concern is that it is across the street from the bakery owned by Ashley Winthrop. The two have known each other all their lives, and they have never gotten along. Sadly, Kate hasn’t even been opened a week before she gets proof that Ashley intends to continue their feud. But when Ashley is murdered the day after the two have a very public fight, Kate finds herself questioned by the police. Can she figure out what really happened before she is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit?
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.
First books in series walk a fine line between introducing us to characters and giving us a good mystery. This one errs on the side of character backstory, which makes the first quarter very slow plot wise. Things do pick up as we go along, and by the second half the mystery is in full swing. Once it got going, I found the mystery good with an ending I didn’t suspect yet one that made sense. Kate, her Gran, and her niece are all solid characters and I enjoyed spending time with them. I am curious where Kate’s love life will go after what we learned and the characters we met here. The suspects don’t get much page time, but they seem real from the little bit of time we did get to spend with them. And there is plenty of talk about ice cream, which made me crave one of my favorite desserts. There are four delicious sounding recipes at the end, so you can bring a bit of Kate’s shop home with you. If you are looking for a new series to help you cool off as the summer heats up, this debut is for you.
The London Forgery (A Fabiola Bennett Mystery #1)
Book
1973. Art historian Fabiola Bennett sees herself as a prudently observant deer who becomes a daring...
Historical Mystery Dual Timeline
MelanieTheresa (997 KP) rated The Breakdown in Books
May 16, 2018
Ok, so I never saw the twist coming.
This story is crafted so well, and kept me so engaged, that it was hard to put the book down. The entire time, I felt so bad for Cass - what must it be like to forget things like how to use the washing machine or the microwave? Terrifying, I imagine. To feel like you're losing your mind, and then to find out you were being gas-lighted all along by the two people you love most in the world?
I felt vindicated right along with her when the truth came out and she got some measure of revenge on her husband and best friend - both of whom are just terrible, terrible people and deserve every ounce of it. In truth, the actual "murder mystery" part of the story was entirely secondary for me, as I was completely wrapped up in what was happening to Cass.
Thank you to SheSpeaks and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This story is crafted so well, and kept me so engaged, that it was hard to put the book down. The entire time, I felt so bad for Cass - what must it be like to forget things like how to use the washing machine or the microwave? Terrifying, I imagine. To feel like you're losing your mind, and then to find out you were being gas-lighted all along by the two people you love most in the world?
I felt vindicated right along with her when the truth came out and she got some measure of revenge on her husband and best friend - both of whom are just terrible, terrible people and deserve every ounce of it. In truth, the actual "murder mystery" part of the story was entirely secondary for me, as I was completely wrapped up in what was happening to Cass.
Thank you to SheSpeaks and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2452 KP) rated Turning the Tide in Books
Apr 11, 2018
Who Killed the Suffragist?
While the country is gearing up for the Presidential election of 1888, Rose Carroll and others in her town in Massachusetts are gearing up for a peaceful protest in support of women’s suffrage. Days before the election, Rose finds the body of Rowena Felch, the local leader of the movement, dead outside her home. Could it be that someone hates the idea of women voting that much? Or is there another motive?
While women’s suffrage is a strong theme in the book, Rose quickly finds other motives for murder. I did feel the plot slowed down a time or two, but that never lasted for very long. In fact, the author was able to work in development in the mystery in the middle of some of the scenes about the suffrage movement. I especially appreciated the fact that some of the males in this book supported the movement, too. The characters are great as always, and a couple of sub-plots advance series storylines well. All told, this is another great book.
While women’s suffrage is a strong theme in the book, Rose quickly finds other motives for murder. I did feel the plot slowed down a time or two, but that never lasted for very long. In fact, the author was able to work in development in the mystery in the middle of some of the scenes about the suffrage movement. I especially appreciated the fact that some of the males in this book supported the movement, too. The characters are great as always, and a couple of sub-plots advance series storylines well. All told, this is another great book.
Elizabeth (1521 KP) rated Truly, Madly, Deadly in Books
Apr 24, 2019
The story had a good plot. Maybe I've become jaded or numb over the years, but I didn't find it to be a nail biting, edge of your seat murder mystery like so many other readers that commented throughout the story on wattpad.
While I am by no means a grammar nazi, there were enough errors and repetition of phrases to pull me out of the story from time to time. There are only so many times a character can bite, lick, worry or do anything else to their lips, before the reader starts to wonder what's wrong with them. The main character also tended to "fist her hands" quite often, a term I found a bit odd for the balling of one's fists.
I wouldn't go as far as so many of the readers in saying that this is the best book I've ever read. Even if the things I mentioned above were corrected, it would still just be a decent book that keeps you guessing; a light, entertaining read.
While I am by no means a grammar nazi, there were enough errors and repetition of phrases to pull me out of the story from time to time. There are only so many times a character can bite, lick, worry or do anything else to their lips, before the reader starts to wonder what's wrong with them. The main character also tended to "fist her hands" quite often, a term I found a bit odd for the balling of one's fists.
I wouldn't go as far as so many of the readers in saying that this is the best book I've ever read. Even if the things I mentioned above were corrected, it would still just be a decent book that keeps you guessing; a light, entertaining read.
Madbatdan82 (341 KP) rated Upgrade (2018) in Movies
May 5, 2019 (Updated May 5, 2019)
What if Robocop wasnt a cop??
Stumbled across this beaut of a film. Premise is man and wife get into a car accident and then robbed. Wife is killed and man is left paralysed below the neck. Mans friend (who is a computer designer type person) offers him the chance at a normal life with a new chip that can operate limbs for you. Man takes off and starts to investigate his wife's murder and mystery and who done it starts. This film is at its heart a thriller but is based in a sci fi futuristic world. It is also has some excellent body horror and gore in it including a 'mouth cut' which was bloody awesome! Some of the dialogue is a bit silly with the main character giving crappy 1 liners whilst fighting the people who he suspects of killing his wife but it's not that off putting and I was able to laugh these off. All in all a really good film and well worth a watch.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Fire in the Blood in Books
Mar 6, 2018
Another cracking page-turner in the Cullen series, this time following the case of a body found in a barrel of whiskey.
For me, the mystery surrounding the case and the identity of the victim and the perpetrator were less hidden than in the previous books: I had an inkling of the plot from fairly early on. That being said, the journey to the conclusion was still an enjoyable one.
Main gripes are:
Too much "thumbing" going on; everyone "thumbed" this and "thumbed" that
The climax of the book was less of a revelation, more of the killer panicking and attacking the police when they really were not all that close to "cracking the case". Cullen is making a career for himself from being attacked by the killer on high profile murder cases who suddenly feel the need to reveal themselves and save another 50 pages of detective work.
Part of this may have been as the story evolved from a short story into a novella and ultimately into a full novel.
Still, an enjoyable, well-written story.
For me, the mystery surrounding the case and the identity of the victim and the perpetrator were less hidden than in the previous books: I had an inkling of the plot from fairly early on. That being said, the journey to the conclusion was still an enjoyable one.
Main gripes are:
Too much "thumbing" going on; everyone "thumbed" this and "thumbed" that
The climax of the book was less of a revelation, more of the killer panicking and attacking the police when they really were not all that close to "cracking the case". Cullen is making a career for himself from being attacked by the killer on high profile murder cases who suddenly feel the need to reveal themselves and save another 50 pages of detective work.
Part of this may have been as the story evolved from a short story into a novella and ultimately into a full novel.
Still, an enjoyable, well-written story.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2452 KP) rated Prose and Cons (Magical Bookshop, #2) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
It’s time for the annual Food and Wine festival in town, and this year Violet Waverly is adding a Poe-try reading at Charming Books to the week’s line up. However, when one of the readers is found dead at the bottom of the shop’s steep stairs during the event, things take a tragic turn. The police quickly decide it was murder and start looking at Violet’s friend Sadie. An Violet prove her friend is innocent?
I absolutely love the bookstore in this series, a shop where the perfect book finds you. That’s really the only bit of magic in the series, and Violet is left to use old fashion methods to sift through clues and motives to find the killer. I did feel some of the characters could be stronger, but the mystery is strong with plenty of red herrings before things fall into place at the end.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-prose-and-cons-by-amanda.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I absolutely love the bookstore in this series, a shop where the perfect book finds you. That’s really the only bit of magic in the series, and Violet is left to use old fashion methods to sift through clues and motives to find the killer. I did feel some of the characters could be stronger, but the mystery is strong with plenty of red herrings before things fall into place at the end.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/12/book-review-prose-and-cons-by-amanda.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2452 KP) rated Farmed and Dangerous (Local Foods Mystery, #3) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Winter has settle on Massachusetts, but farmer Cam Flaherty is still very busy. She’s growing food in her hoop house and hoping to land a contract to provide produce during the summer at the local assisted living facility. However, the night that her food is served, one of the residents dies from poison. With local gossip and the police looking at her, Cam must dive in to the mystery to clear her reputation.
The book did start a little slowly, but once the murder takes place, things pick up. I was turning pages as quickly as I could until I reached the satisfying ending. It was great to spend time with these characters again, and the suspects were equally engaging. Be sure to read through the recipes, too, since there is a joke in one of them.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-farmed-and-dangerous-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
The book did start a little slowly, but once the murder takes place, things pick up. I was turning pages as quickly as I could until I reached the satisfying ending. It was great to spend time with these characters again, and the suspects were equally engaging. Be sure to read through the recipes, too, since there is a joke in one of them.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-review-farmed-and-dangerous-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2452 KP) rated Murder Most Fowl in Books
Mar 9, 2018
One morning in March, Cam’s neighbor dies at his breakfast table, just hours after his chicken farm his hit by animal rights activists. Wayne was a very nice man, often offering Cam advice on her own heard of chickens. When the man’s daughter turns to Cam for help understanding what happened to him, Cam starts investigating. But can she find the killer?
I always enjoy my time on Cam’s farm, and this book was no exception. The pacing was a tad uneven, but that was only a minor issue. The mystery is still strong, with good clues, red herrings, and a great climax. While a couple of supporting characters sat this one out, the rest of the cast is back and as strong as ever. This will leave you turning pages until you read the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-murder-most-fowl-by-edith.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I always enjoy my time on Cam’s farm, and this book was no exception. The pacing was a tad uneven, but that was only a minor issue. The mystery is still strong, with good clues, red herrings, and a great climax. While a couple of supporting characters sat this one out, the rest of the cast is back and as strong as ever. This will leave you turning pages until you read the end.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-review-murder-most-fowl-by-edith.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.