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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated Murder at Mallowan Hall in Books
Jan 22, 2025 (Updated Jan 22, 2025)
Murder in Agatha Christie’s Library
Agatha Christie and her second husband, Max Mallowan, are throwing a house party when an unexpected guest arrives in the middle of a summer storm. The man says he is a reporter who has an interview lined up with the famous author. While Agatha doesn’t remember it, she instructs Phyllida Bright, her housekeeper, to set him up in one of the guest rooms, at least for tonight. But the next morning, Phyllida finds the man dead in the library. She doesn’t think the police are up to solving the crime, so she jumps in to find a few clues for them. But who was the victim? And who would want to kill him?
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
Fans of Agatha Christie will get a kick out of the wink and nods in the set up. But everyone will be hooked on this mystery, which had the clues and red herrings well layered to keep me guessing until the ending. While we got to know Phyllida and a few other characters well, I did feel like we got too much of her thoughts, which slowed things down and kept us from getting to know the suspects better. Only a handful of scenes were told from someone other than Phyllida’s point of view, but when it happened, it always made sense. And one of those scenes was absolutely perfect that way. While current events don’t play a big part in this 1930’s set book, it does give us a clear picture of what life was like for servants during that time. I’m hoping to get to the next book soon.
For Duck’s Sake
5.0
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Donna Andrews returns with her latest charming addition to the bestselling Meg Langslow mystery...
Murder on the Steel Pier (A Tess Mancini Time Travel Mystery #1)
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Greetings from the Nifty Fifties… The morning after a blowout birthday celebration in Atlantic...
Historical Mystery Time Travel
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2579 KP) rated The Library Game in Books
Apr 18, 2025 (Updated Apr 18, 2025)
Murder Strolls into a Library
Tempest Raj and the rest of the team are working on turning a house into a new library in Hidden Creek, this one focused on classic mysteries. While the library isn’t ready to open yet, they are participating in the Summer Stroll program that kicks off in a few days. Their contribution will be an escape room and an interactive mystery play that Tempest wrote with her best friend, Ivy. Naturally, Tempest is there for a dress rehearsal. Unfortunately, it goes horribly wrong with one of the actors turning up dead after a scripted power outage. However, by the time they call the police, the body is gone. Is he really dead? If so, who moved the body?
The case is even more impossible than I was able to work into my teaser, and I had fun watching Tempest lead us to the logical solution. The pacing might have lagged a bit in the middle, but that might be me. It was fantastic to spend time with all the regulars again, and I’m curious where some of the relationships will go from here. The suspects were good, too. We get a delicious sounding recipe for Blackberry Crumble Cobbler and more references to classic mysteries. I really need to find a time to read some of them. This book will work well as an intro/standalone if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series yet. But you’ll want to go back to read them after the fun you’ll have here. Fans will be glad they picked up this book.
The case is even more impossible than I was able to work into my teaser, and I had fun watching Tempest lead us to the logical solution. The pacing might have lagged a bit in the middle, but that might be me. It was fantastic to spend time with all the regulars again, and I’m curious where some of the relationships will go from here. The suspects were good, too. We get a delicious sounding recipe for Blackberry Crumble Cobbler and more references to classic mysteries. I really need to find a time to read some of them. This book will work well as an intro/standalone if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series yet. But you’ll want to go back to read them after the fun you’ll have here. Fans will be glad they picked up this book.
My Nightmare is Yours
10.0
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A retro dream job turns deadly when the music stops-and Madison Night may be siding with the wrong...
Dead in the Water
8.0
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They say opposites attract. The only thing these two unlikely friends seem to be a magnet for is...
Arbor Day Can Be Deadly
8.0
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He came to stay out of trouble. But when a new friendship pulls him deep into danger, can he make it...
This was not what I expected at all, from the very first chapter I knew that it was going to be a pleasure to read, and that’s exactly what it was. It’s not often that you find a crime novel that truly makes you laugh out loud, but there were definitely a few snorts while I was reading this one.
There are four different lives intertwined within this story and we change frequently throughout as to who we’re following: Daniel, Scott (Daniel’s father), Hannah (a police officer) and Ronan (the twin brother of someone found murdered). We follow Daniel as he struggles through life and him being bullied without him realising it, whilst also following Scott and finding out just how far he is willing to go to protect his son and wife. Hannah’s story is a bit sadder but I’m glad at the end of the book she comes to peace with everything that has been playing on her mind throughout the book. And then there’s Ronan, who’s twin brother can seemingly do no wrong in their mother’s eyes and after he is murdered Ronan still can’t understand why his mother doesn’t love him as much.
The story is ridiculous, but not in a way that it’s unbelievable. It’s a believable story of someone who gets caught up in the wrong world and the lengths that they’ll go to in order to try and get out of the hole they’ve found themselves in.
David Jackson’s writing was a pleasure to read and I have no doubt that I will pick up another of his books in the future.
There are four different lives intertwined within this story and we change frequently throughout as to who we’re following: Daniel, Scott (Daniel’s father), Hannah (a police officer) and Ronan (the twin brother of someone found murdered). We follow Daniel as he struggles through life and him being bullied without him realising it, whilst also following Scott and finding out just how far he is willing to go to protect his son and wife. Hannah’s story is a bit sadder but I’m glad at the end of the book she comes to peace with everything that has been playing on her mind throughout the book. And then there’s Ronan, who’s twin brother can seemingly do no wrong in their mother’s eyes and after he is murdered Ronan still can’t understand why his mother doesn’t love him as much.
The story is ridiculous, but not in a way that it’s unbelievable. It’s a believable story of someone who gets caught up in the wrong world and the lengths that they’ll go to in order to try and get out of the hole they’ve found themselves in.
David Jackson’s writing was a pleasure to read and I have no doubt that I will pick up another of his books in the future.
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated Good Girl, Bad Blood in Books
Oct 30, 2022
It’s not every time that a sequel manages to live up to the first novel but this book just made me fall in love with the characters even more.
We are back with Pip in the aftermath of the first book and she is trying to not get involved with anything that could get her in the same trouble as last time. Until her best friend’s brother, Jamie, goes missing. She tries to stay out of it, but when the police aren’t interested as he is an adult, Pip knows she can’t just sit back and hope for the best. So Pip goes back into investigative mode, but this time she has the help of Ravi, her boyfriend.
Pip has managed to document the murders of Andie Bell and Sal Singh (the previous book) on a podcast, which has a lot of followers and so she utilises this to get the news of the disappearance out there. Pip agrees with the family that she can use the investigation for a second series of her podcast.
The investigation has many twists and turns and at one point I couldn’t have told you how it was going to end. But the ending was unexpected and a character that I hadn’t anticipated was involved.
Holly Jackson’s use of different kinds of media such as photographs, articles and transcripts made the book so much more interesting to read than your usual crime fiction and I think that’s what has kept me so hooked throughout this series. Hopefully the third instalment will be just as good as this one.
We are back with Pip in the aftermath of the first book and she is trying to not get involved with anything that could get her in the same trouble as last time. Until her best friend’s brother, Jamie, goes missing. She tries to stay out of it, but when the police aren’t interested as he is an adult, Pip knows she can’t just sit back and hope for the best. So Pip goes back into investigative mode, but this time she has the help of Ravi, her boyfriend.
Pip has managed to document the murders of Andie Bell and Sal Singh (the previous book) on a podcast, which has a lot of followers and so she utilises this to get the news of the disappearance out there. Pip agrees with the family that she can use the investigation for a second series of her podcast.
The investigation has many twists and turns and at one point I couldn’t have told you how it was going to end. But the ending was unexpected and a character that I hadn’t anticipated was involved.
Holly Jackson’s use of different kinds of media such as photographs, articles and transcripts made the book so much more interesting to read than your usual crime fiction and I think that’s what has kept me so hooked throughout this series. Hopefully the third instalment will be just as good as this one.
ClareR (6238 KP) rated Shrines of Gaiety in Books
Dec 5, 2022
What can I write to do this book justice, other than say “just read it?” I have to admit to not having read much Kate Atkinson before - only the first Jackson Brodie novel, which I loved - but I really feel I should read more of her books!
Shrines of Gaiety is set in the 1920’s, post First World War, and encompasses post war life with all of its excesses, poverty, grief and debauchery.
Nellie Coker is a self made woman who owns a series of nightclubs in London. She’s a single mother, and five of her six children help her to run her empire (the sixth is too young). How she came to own these clubs is a mystery. But the chances are that it wasn’t legal money!
Then there are the 14 year old runaways, Freda and Florence, who want to take to the stage to find fame and fortune.
Detective Chief Inspector Frobisher is determined to bring Nellie Coker and her corrupt empire down, as well as the corrupt police officers that support her. He also becomes involved in the search for the two runaways, thanks to Gwendoline Kelling, a librarian who has inherited a considerable amount of money. She’s a friend of one of the runaways sister, and vows to find her.
I won’t just regurgitate the story, that’s no fun, and you need to read this book for yourself! Needless to say, I loved these characters - the whole novel in fact! It’s a gripping, entertaining story, and it was a joy to read.
Very highly recommended.
Oh, and for the book cover fans, it’s a gorgeous one!
Shrines of Gaiety is set in the 1920’s, post First World War, and encompasses post war life with all of its excesses, poverty, grief and debauchery.
Nellie Coker is a self made woman who owns a series of nightclubs in London. She’s a single mother, and five of her six children help her to run her empire (the sixth is too young). How she came to own these clubs is a mystery. But the chances are that it wasn’t legal money!
Then there are the 14 year old runaways, Freda and Florence, who want to take to the stage to find fame and fortune.
Detective Chief Inspector Frobisher is determined to bring Nellie Coker and her corrupt empire down, as well as the corrupt police officers that support her. He also becomes involved in the search for the two runaways, thanks to Gwendoline Kelling, a librarian who has inherited a considerable amount of money. She’s a friend of one of the runaways sister, and vows to find her.
I won’t just regurgitate the story, that’s no fun, and you need to read this book for yourself! Needless to say, I loved these characters - the whole novel in fact! It’s a gripping, entertaining story, and it was a joy to read.
Very highly recommended.
Oh, and for the book cover fans, it’s a gorgeous one!