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Deborah (162 KP) rated My Lady Judge (Burren Mysteries, #1) in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Enjoyable mystery set in Ireland in 1509 with the protagonist a female who is a sort of judge in traditional Gaelic law. An entertaining book where you also feel like you learned something new!
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated The Doll Maker in Books
Dec 26, 2018
The Doll Maker is a traditional suspense mystery with a lesbian twist. The main characters were both complicated and their internal conflict was as much an antagonist as the actually murderer. This is a new direction for Highton-Stevenson and I look forward to reading more in this direction.
Merissa (12061 KP) created a post
Nov 3, 2020
Becca Major (96 KP) rated Spirit Circle in Books
Apr 14, 2018
Stellar plot (3 more)
Engaging mystery
Well rounded characters
Good ending
Absolutely amazing!
"Spirit Circle" is an amazing manga that pairs characters that are well rounded and have interesting motivations with a story that is genuinely engaging. The main characters Fuuta and Kouko are dynamic and sympathetic, while not overpowering the side characters. Additionally, the manga isn't overstuffed with the traditional tropes that you would expect to find in an adventure. The art is beautiful and fits the mood perfectly.
Overall, it's just an amazing read and I would highly recommend it if you are into a good mystery.
Overall, it's just an amazing read and I would highly recommend it if you are into a good mystery.
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Murder at the Moonshine Inn (Hazel Rose Book Group Mystery #2) in Books
Feb 21, 2018
Murder at the Moonshine Inn is a little edgier than most cozy mysteries, but it does just manage to stay cozy. It was a nice change to have the protagonist try to refuse to do the investigating, realizing how dangerous it would probably be, and then to finally agree to do it but only with the aid of her book group, and to a lesser degree, her husband.
The story is full of twists, turns, and humor, and should please both cozy and traditional mystery fans.
The story is full of twists, turns, and humor, and should please both cozy and traditional mystery fans.
Merissa (12061 KP) created a post
Oct 11, 2021
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated The Death of an Ambitious Woman in Books
Jul 17, 2018
It Definitely Wasn’t an Accident
The car crash that killed Tracey Kendall was looking suspicious from the start. She was driving way too fast and didn’t break at all for example. Then the mechanic who serviced her car vanishes, which definitely makes acting police chief Ruth Murphy suspect there is more going on than a simple accident. Unfortunately, this comes at the worst possible time with her permanent promotion to police chief about to go through. Can she navigate internal politics and still uncover the truth?
I was thrilled to finally make it back to Barbara Ross’s debut mystery. The mystery is strong, and the internal politics adds a nice layer to an already complex mystery. Ruth and her fellow police officers are strong characters, and I also felt the main suspects were well developed. Some of the supporting players got a little lost, but that is my only complaint about the book. This is a step away from the author’s normal cozy mysteries, with a few four letter words and a touch more description of the aftermath of violence. Still, most of her readers will do just fine with this soft-boiled or traditional tale. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery should pick up this book.
I was thrilled to finally make it back to Barbara Ross’s debut mystery. The mystery is strong, and the internal politics adds a nice layer to an already complex mystery. Ruth and her fellow police officers are strong characters, and I also felt the main suspects were well developed. Some of the supporting players got a little lost, but that is my only complaint about the book. This is a step away from the author’s normal cozy mysteries, with a few four letter words and a touch more description of the aftermath of violence. Still, most of her readers will do just fine with this soft-boiled or traditional tale. Anyone who enjoys a good mystery should pick up this book.
Alice Rohrwacher recommended Stromboli (1950) in Movies (curated)
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated The Tuscan Child in Books
Mar 16, 2018
Can Joanna Solve the Mystery of Her Father’s Past?
When Hugo Langley dies, his daughter Joanna finds a letter in his possession addressed to someone named Sofia in Italy. It references “our beautiful boy.” Joanna knows her father was shot down in the Tuscany region during World War II, but does this letter mean she has a half-brother? Intrigued, Joanna sets out to learn about that time in her father’s life. What will she learn?
This book switches back and forth from Hugo’s story in 1944 and Joanna’s journey in 1973. The chapters are clearly labeled, so it is never hard to follow which time period we are in. While this is not a traditional mystery by any means, we do learn what happened back then and how it plays out in the more “modern” setting. This book is just as much about Joanna’s growth, and she lead a cast of very strong characters I quickly fell in love with as I read.
This book switches back and forth from Hugo’s story in 1944 and Joanna’s journey in 1973. The chapters are clearly labeled, so it is never hard to follow which time period we are in. While this is not a traditional mystery by any means, we do learn what happened back then and how it plays out in the more “modern” setting. This book is just as much about Joanna’s growth, and she lead a cast of very strong characters I quickly fell in love with as I read.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2200 KP) rated Sowing Malice in Books
Jul 15, 2020
Reaping Another Great Mystery
When the von Tresslers moved to town, they didn’t make the residents of Winsome, Pennsylvania, very happy. They’ve mostly kept to themselves except when they were pushing to do things their way. Now, David von Tressler has died, and most of the mourners are from out of town. That includes three women that Megan Sawyer runs into at the local nursery. Shortly after Megan meets them, one of the women disappears. Then a body turns up at Megan’s farm. What is going on?
I was thrilled to see another entry in this great series, and I wasn’t disappointed. The mystery is strong. It starts quickly and there are plenty of twists and turns before we reach the end. The characters continue to be wonderful. We got updates on the series regulars and the new characters were well developed. There’s nothing here that spoils previous books in the series, so you could jump in here, but to fully appreciate the character growth, I do recommend reading the series in order. This series is more of a traditional mystery than a lighter cozy, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. I definitely recommend this book and the entire series.
I was thrilled to see another entry in this great series, and I wasn’t disappointed. The mystery is strong. It starts quickly and there are plenty of twists and turns before we reach the end. The characters continue to be wonderful. We got updates on the series regulars and the new characters were well developed. There’s nothing here that spoils previous books in the series, so you could jump in here, but to fully appreciate the character growth, I do recommend reading the series in order. This series is more of a traditional mystery than a lighter cozy, but as long as you know that going in, you’ll be fine. I definitely recommend this book and the entire series.