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Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated 56 Days in Books

Aug 20, 2021  
56 Days
56 Days
Catherine Ryan Howard | 2021 | Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
4.5 stars rounded down to 4.
Who would’ve thought that a book about lockdown would be something that I’d want to read and thoroughly enjoy just as things are getting back to normal after a year of lockdowns. But that is exactly what this book is!
We follow Oliver and Ciara through their whirlwind romance that’s starting just as COVID-19 is picking up pace in Dublin. They make the decision to move in together so that they can continue with their relationship during lockdown, but both of them are hiding a secret from their past.
The chapters go back and forward on Ciara’s timeline, Oliver’s timeline and then “today” when there are police officers at a scene of a murder. Although it sounds like it might be confusing going back and forth, it really isn’t too confusing and still pretty easy to follow.
There is a twist towards the end, that is sorted of hinted at, which then turns into another twist that I really didn’t see coming and had to read a few sentences a couple of times to realise what had happened. And everything is quite nicely tied up by the end of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, the only thing I would have changed would have been some of the thought processes behind some of the actions towards the end of the book, but nothing major at all.
Thank you to Readers First for allowing me an advanced read of this book, and to Catherine Ryan Howard for writing it and for it being about something so relatable to us all.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2676 KP) rated Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder in Books

Oct 21, 2021 (Updated Oct 21, 2021)  
Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder
Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder
Tina Kashian | 2020 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Polar Bear Plunge of Death
Every December, Ocean Crest, New Jersey, hosts a polar bear plunge as a fund raiser, and this year it is raising money for a much-needed renovation for the senior center. Most of the businesses in the town are participating, and Lucy Berberian is representing her family’s Kebab Kitchen restaurant. As expected, the water is chilly, but all that is soon forgotten when the dead body of one of the participants washes ashore. At first everyone assumes that the shock of the cold water killed Deacon Spooner, but the medical examiners determines that it was murder. Lucy had recently met Deacon, and he wasn’t a nice man. When the police look at Lucy’s friend as their prime suspect, she can’t help but nose around. She uncovers plenty of motives and opportunity, but who actually killed the man?

The book starts out strong, but it loses its way, with very little forward movement and a sub-plot taking over as we near the climax. Fortunately, we do get a logical and suspenseful ending. The sub-plot, about Lucy dragging her feet planning her wedding, would have made sense if it had been weeks between books instead of months. Still, it did allow us to see some growth in Lucy and in her relationships, which I appreciated. The book isn’t overwhelming with Christmas, but it is there, and I enjoyed that aspect as well. We get four recipes at the end of the book to enjoy later. While the book could have been stronger, as a fan of the series, I’m glad I read it.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2676 KP) rated The General’s Gold in Books

Oct 29, 2024 (Updated Oct 29, 2024)  
The General’s Gold
The General’s Gold
LynDee Walker, Bruce Robert Coffin | 2024 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Hunting for a Golden Treasure
This book introduces us to Avery Turner, a new tech billionaire, and Carter Mosley, an internet famous adventure junkie. The two met when Carter taught Avery to scuba dive. But things really kick off when Avery learns of her friend, fellow tech billionaire, Mark Hawkins’s death. The police are ruling it an accidental drug overdose. There’s just one problem with that – Avery has never seen Mark take anything stronger than an aspirin. She goes to investigate herself, and she finds a few puzzling things that Mark left behind. Soon, she’s is on the trail of a rumored treasure that dates back to the 1700’s, pulling Carter in along the way. Can they find it?

I’ve heard good things about both of these authors but hadn’t had a chance to read them before I picked up this book. I’m glad I did give their collaboration a try. While I did find the series setup a bit slow, I was still entertained. Once the plot really kicked off, I was completely hooked and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I appreciated the logic behind things when I reached the climax. I also enjoyed the main trio of characters (Avery, her assistant, and Carter). I can’t wait to spend more time with them. The violence and language was kept to a minimum, which I appreciated. A couple of things felt like they got glossed over, but that’s a minor complaint. I’m looking forward to reading more. If you are looking for an action, adventure series, you’ll be glad you picked up this book.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2676 KP) rated Murder at Mallowan Hall in Books

Jan 22, 2025 (Updated Jan 22, 2025)  
Murder at Mallowan Hall
Murder at Mallowan Hall
Colleen Cambridge | 2021 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
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.