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Merissa (12019 KP) rated A Barlow Lens (Circles #2) in Books
Feb 24, 2020
A BARLOW LENS is the second book in the Circles series and we continue with Wyatt and Val as they try to solve a mystery from a time-gone-by.
I LOVED THIS STORY! I really enjoyed reading about the historical side of things, and how Tom and Philip managed to be together. Archie was a nasty piece of work and I really can't say I'm sad about his ending!
There is mention of horse-racing in this one but nowhere near as much as in the first, simply because it isn't the focus in here. I loved how it was still there and an important time for Wyatt and Val, but I'm also glad the emphasis was on Tom and Philip.
Two for the price of one and both thoroughly enjoyable. Absolutely recommended by me.
I LOVED THIS STORY! I really enjoyed reading about the historical side of things, and how Tom and Philip managed to be together. Archie was a nasty piece of work and I really can't say I'm sad about his ending!
There is mention of horse-racing in this one but nowhere near as much as in the first, simply because it isn't the focus in here. I loved how it was still there and an important time for Wyatt and Val, but I'm also glad the emphasis was on Tom and Philip.
Two for the price of one and both thoroughly enjoyable. Absolutely recommended by me.
Fruit Bat (42 KP) rated The Strange Case of Caroline Maxwell in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Recommended reading "The Strange Case of Caroline Maxwell "Paperback – 12 Sep 2014 by Amanda Harvey Purse.
This book has all the ingredients that makes a great mystery novel. The question is what is there not to love history mixed with fiction, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper with a great references to Agatha Christie and a famous little Belgian detective.
Amanda's book deserves so much more then the twos reviews it has on Amazon .
The book is truly well researched and comes across as a great labour of love , I loved spotting the historical cases that where mixed among the fiction. If you have the opportunity to read this book I recommend you do it's not to be missed.
Amanda I loved this book from start to finish thank you for the opportunity to read it I hope to see more of this wonderful character
This book has all the ingredients that makes a great mystery novel. The question is what is there not to love history mixed with fiction, Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper with a great references to Agatha Christie and a famous little Belgian detective.
Amanda's book deserves so much more then the twos reviews it has on Amazon .
The book is truly well researched and comes across as a great labour of love , I loved spotting the historical cases that where mixed among the fiction. If you have the opportunity to read this book I recommend you do it's not to be missed.
Amanda I loved this book from start to finish thank you for the opportunity to read it I hope to see more of this wonderful character
This was a fun read with a unique setting, and was a great start to a new series. When Maddie and her pal Adele find a body in the Paranormal Museum, I expected ghosts galore. There is a paranormal element to the story, but it has more to do with an historical crime rather than the modern one. One mystery keeps Maddie and her friends busy during the day, and the other helps her decide whether to stay in town and run the Paranormal Museum or keep looking for work elsewhere. I enjoyed both stories, and the cast of characters, from Maddie's friends and family, to the two police officers handling the murder case, and then the attractive neighbor next door. I'm looking forward to reading more about the museum, Maddie, and her friends.
Note: I received a free copy from the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received a free copy from the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kristie (106 KP) rated Tiffany Blues in Books
Sep 18, 2018
Beautifully written
Tiffany Blues by M.J. Rose is a beautifully written historical fiction that for the most part, I really enjoyed. The cover art as well as the art inside the book are absolutely gorgeous. The story did move a little bit slow for me, especially the first half of the novel, but more I was captivated towards the end. I loved seeing all of the mysteries around Jenny slowly unravel, and to discover with her what was happening at Laurelton. It was pretty obvious to me who the culprit was, but I did enjoy the mystery nonetheless and discovering exactly what the motives were. The characters were all very well developed and I feel like I truly knew the characters. While some parts of this story were obvious and moved slow, overall I did enjoy this book and would recommend to fans of this genre.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated Echo of the Dead (DSI William Lorimer #19) in Books
Apr 10, 2022
This is another entertaining outing for DSI Lorimer and whilst this is the 19th in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.
Echo of the Dead if set in the Scottish Highlands and Alex Gray does an excellent job of 'selling' the area to the reader despite the darkness of the story.
Lorimer is on a break with his friend, Daniel, when they stumble upon a body. A short time later, another body is found and Lorimer returns with his Team to investigate. Are these connected and could they be related to an historical massacre?
With a great cast of characters, this is an intriguing mystery with twists and is a great edition to the series and one that I would recommend to lovers of this genre.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Echo of the Dead if set in the Scottish Highlands and Alex Gray does an excellent job of 'selling' the area to the reader despite the darkness of the story.
Lorimer is on a break with his friend, Daniel, when they stumble upon a body. A short time later, another body is found and Lorimer returns with his Team to investigate. Are these connected and could they be related to an historical massacre?
With a great cast of characters, this is an intriguing mystery with twists and is a great edition to the series and one that I would recommend to lovers of this genre.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
ClareR (5711 KP) rated King in Waiting (Lord Edward’s Archer series Book 2) in Books
Nov 6, 2019
King in Waiting was an enjoyable, action packed, history filled novel, about Gerald War Bow and his part in the battles to free Henry III from Simon de Montfort in 1264.
Gerald is from a poor family, and King Henry is quite clear about his opinions of Archers - they’re disposable and unimportant. Luckily, his son and heir, Lord Edward, is not of the same opinion. He values Gerald War Bow, and sees his worth. Even though he’s young, he has loads of experience and his men are loyal to him.
This book gives the reader a real feel for the time. There’s a lot of historical detail, from how battles are run, to travelling and living in medieval England. I’ve finished the book feeling as though I now know more about this period in history, and how difficult it is to draw back and let fly an arrow from a longbow (serious strength is needed!). How the nobility could have seen so little value in these men is a mystery to me. Their skill is described so well.
So, if you enjoy historical fiction and a lot of action in battle, then this is the book for you - I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author for reading along with us!
Gerald is from a poor family, and King Henry is quite clear about his opinions of Archers - they’re disposable and unimportant. Luckily, his son and heir, Lord Edward, is not of the same opinion. He values Gerald War Bow, and sees his worth. Even though he’s young, he has loads of experience and his men are loyal to him.
This book gives the reader a real feel for the time. There’s a lot of historical detail, from how battles are run, to travelling and living in medieval England. I’ve finished the book feeling as though I now know more about this period in history, and how difficult it is to draw back and let fly an arrow from a longbow (serious strength is needed!). How the nobility could have seen so little value in these men is a mystery to me. Their skill is described so well.
So, if you enjoy historical fiction and a lot of action in battle, then this is the book for you - I really enjoyed it.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and the author for reading along with us!
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2186 KP) rated A Simple Murder (Will Rees, #1) in Books
Feb 9, 2020
Simple Time but Complex Murder
It’s 1795, and Will Rees has spent the last few years as a traveling weaver while grieving his wife. He’s left his son and his Maine farm in the care of his sister and her husband, but his most recent trip home leads to the discovery that they’ve been abusing that trust, and his son, David, has run away to a Shaker community over a day’s travel away. Will goes to try to repair their relationship only to find himself involved in a murder. One of the Shaker women has been killed in their community, and the Elders have asked Will to find the killer. His problem, however, is that he is an outsider. Will anyone trust him enough to share the information he needs to solve the case?
I’m always on the lookout for a good historical mystery, so I was quite eager to pick this one up. I’m not familiar with the Shakers, so that was also an interesting aspect of the book. The plot is good with plenty of twists and a logical conclusion, however, I felt like the pacing could have been better. That might have just been me since Will could only talk to a couple of people at a time if he had to travel far to talk to them. This is a historical mystery, after all. That travel time may have helped lead me to feel like things were slow. The characters are strong. I really came to care for Will and several of the others. The characters were just as strong, and I had no trouble keeping them apart. However, as Will begins to find complex family relationships, I had a hard time keeping all of those straight. The everyday details of life in the time period were strong and helped make me feel like I was back in time when I was reading the book. I am definitely planning to visit Will again to find out what happens to him next.
I’m always on the lookout for a good historical mystery, so I was quite eager to pick this one up. I’m not familiar with the Shakers, so that was also an interesting aspect of the book. The plot is good with plenty of twists and a logical conclusion, however, I felt like the pacing could have been better. That might have just been me since Will could only talk to a couple of people at a time if he had to travel far to talk to them. This is a historical mystery, after all. That travel time may have helped lead me to feel like things were slow. The characters are strong. I really came to care for Will and several of the others. The characters were just as strong, and I had no trouble keeping them apart. However, as Will begins to find complex family relationships, I had a hard time keeping all of those straight. The everyday details of life in the time period were strong and helped make me feel like I was back in time when I was reading the book. I am definitely planning to visit Will again to find out what happens to him next.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated House of Thieves in Books
Feb 21, 2018
How far would you go to save the life of a loved one? Thats the question that architect John Cross is forced to ask himself after being confronted with evidence of his sons gambling problem and subsequent debt. The amount is more than his son, or he himself, could ever hope to repay. To keep his son from being killed by the gang holding the debt, John uses his specialized knowledge of local buildings to help the gang plan burglaries, with the understanding that with each job, some of the debt will be forgiven.
I admit that I was expecting a little more of a mystery element after reading the blurb, but even without the mystery this book takes you on an enjoyable trip to the past. The story takes place in New York, 1886, and is rich with descriptions of society life, rat baiting, etiquette, gambling dens, and almost anything else you might want to know about the time period. I did like the way that almost every member of Johns family, without his knowledge, flaunted tradition and expectations to pursue happiness in their own way, even though to be found out would have meant their ruin and social outcast. It was hard not to root for them even when you knew they were doing wrong.
If you are a fan of historical fiction (or if you enjoyed the movie Gangs of New York), then I highly recommend this one.
Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I admit that I was expecting a little more of a mystery element after reading the blurb, but even without the mystery this book takes you on an enjoyable trip to the past. The story takes place in New York, 1886, and is rich with descriptions of society life, rat baiting, etiquette, gambling dens, and almost anything else you might want to know about the time period. I did like the way that almost every member of Johns family, without his knowledge, flaunted tradition and expectations to pursue happiness in their own way, even though to be found out would have meant their ruin and social outcast. It was hard not to root for them even when you knew they were doing wrong.
If you are a fan of historical fiction (or if you enjoyed the movie Gangs of New York), then I highly recommend this one.
Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lindsay (1717 KP) rated The Keys of the Watchmen in Books
Sep 7, 2017
The Keys of the Watchman is one really good book. Once I get into the book it, I can not put it down. It got all of what you would want in a book, it has action, mystery and time travel and romance all in one book. What a way to read a book.
The author does a wonderful job of tell the story of the of the historical facts. You get to feel as if you are part of it. You want to help the characters. You learn about christianity though this book as well. The Archangel Michael and Lucifer (Satan, Devil) and one of the fallen angels that is mention in the book is Abdon.
The book is about good and evil and saving the mount. We have a fallen angel Abdon and Nicolas and Katelyn. We are mostly in the year of 1424. We have Jean and Katelyn and Nicholas who are called Watchman but will they save Mount Saint Michael?
The author does a wonderful job of tell the story of the of the historical facts. You get to feel as if you are part of it. You want to help the characters. You learn about christianity though this book as well. The Archangel Michael and Lucifer (Satan, Devil) and one of the fallen angels that is mention in the book is Abdon.
The book is about good and evil and saving the mount. We have a fallen angel Abdon and Nicolas and Katelyn. We are mostly in the year of 1424. We have Jean and Katelyn and Nicholas who are called Watchman but will they save Mount Saint Michael?
I'm sure if you mentioned the name Bernard Cornwell to most readers, they would immediately think of historical-set 'boys-own' mainly and-based action-adventure novels, which I once read described by one critic as 'men behaving badly, but with incredible brio' (which I had to go and look up what that meant).
So, not a contemporary (at the time of Cornwell's writing) set mystery, then, with a heavy slant towards nautical matters.
Yet that is precisely what this is.
While I can't comment on the accuracy (or otherwise) of the naval segments - other than to say they seemed plausible to this land-lubber - I have to say, I also found this to be rather predictable fare, with it startlingly obvious - at least to me - just who stole the priceless Van Gogh (the McGuffin that provides the drive for the plot) further early on, not long after that character is introduced.
Sorry, Mr Cornwell: not your best effort.
So, not a contemporary (at the time of Cornwell's writing) set mystery, then, with a heavy slant towards nautical matters.
Yet that is precisely what this is.
While I can't comment on the accuracy (or otherwise) of the naval segments - other than to say they seemed plausible to this land-lubber - I have to say, I also found this to be rather predictable fare, with it startlingly obvious - at least to me - just who stole the priceless Van Gogh (the McGuffin that provides the drive for the plot) further early on, not long after that character is introduced.
Sorry, Mr Cornwell: not your best effort.