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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Thursday Murder Club in Books

Sep 10, 2020

Well, that was a nice surprise! I usually stay clear of celebrity writers as, in my experience, they tend to be over rated and over hyped but I have to say that this book by Richard Osman was pretty good and had me engaged from start to finish.

The plot is multi-faceted with several murders both recent and historic but rather than this causing confusion, it all seems to flow smoothly and logically despite its complexity although you do have to keep your wits about you to keep up at times. The writing style is easy to read and flows well and although the main subject matter is murder, there are snippets of humour and more tender moments too.

The setting of a rather upscale retirement village is unique as are the main characters who are engaging, appealing and, at times, amusing. I really would like to get to know Elizabeth better - she is a very intriguing character and there are teasing morsels of her previous working life which are very interesting and I want to know more.

This book is what I would call a cosy-read that could be enjoyed by anyone and I would recommend it to those who enjoy a classic murder-mystery without the violence and graphic detail.

Thank you to Penguin General UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an unbiased and unedited review.

Kudos

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, #2) in Books

Sep 6, 2019

4.5 stars.

I enjoyed this one more than the first, though I think that can be put down to the progression in the relationship between Kit and J.X.
 
At the start my warm and fuzzies over how the last one ended quickly dissolved as this started with them decided to take a break. I was like WTF?! And then Kit was off across the country to go and see his mentor after her fall down some icy stairs meaning she couldn't run her Writer's Workshop. Of course, it wasn't as straight forward as that and we were thrown into yet another murder mystery.
 
I have to say I was kinda disheartened when J.X. wasn't in the first third (or so) of the story as I really liked him and Kit as a couple but he reappeared and the warm and fuzzies returned. The progression of their relationship in this one was so sweet. J.X. is willing to anything to keep Kit in his life and I find that lovely.
 
As for the murder mystery, I was once again stumped until the 90% mark when someone wasn't quite upset enough and it clicked (about the same time as Kit figured it out, too).
 
I love Josh Lanyon books like this and can't wait to read more from him! I also can't wait for the next Holmes and Moriarity book!

Kudos

Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2357 KP) rated Murder on Lexington Avenue in Books

Jun 12, 2020

Working on Saturday is Murder

New York City Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is called to a murder scene at a business office on a Saturday afternoon. Frank quickly learns that the man has a deaf daughter and is heavily involved with one of the deaf schools in the area. Frank’s son is deaf as well, so he already has some knowledge of the schools, but he quickly begins to learn more about the deaf community as he investigates. He also realizes that he must bring in midwife Sarah Brandt. Sarah’s involvement turns out to be a good thing since she can get close to the victim’s family. Will she learn enough so that the two of them can solve the case?

Frank gets involved in this case pretty quickly, although Sarah’s involvement takes a little longer to develop. Still, the duo once again make a fantastic team as they work together well to solve the case. Along the way, we get plenty of suspects and twists. I was sure I had it figured out several times before we reached the end. We do get some updates on Frank and Sarah’s families, including something that I think will jump start a new longer mystery arc. I also appreciated how this book explored the deaf community in the 1890’s. You really could jump in here, but whether you start this series here or go back to the beginning, you’ll be pulled back in time with these excellent books.