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Hunting Prince Dracula
Hunting Prince Dracula
Kerri Maniscalco | 2017 | Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult (YA)
10
8.8 (8 Ratings)
Book Rating
Contains spoilers, click to show
I absolutely adore Kerri’s writing in this one! I loved the folklore added into the story (I think I learned more in this one that I did in the first one) and that we got to explore Thomas’s family history and learn more about him.

I mentioned in my review for STJR that the ending had took me by surprise but that I could go back to add up the clues dropped throughout the book. The ending to this one, however, caught me completely off guard! I knew most of the suspects were red herrings but I hadn’t thought that this character would do what they did! Especially given their reasoning behind their actions.

I also loved that we were able to explore Cressworth some more in this book (the tension was killing me at certain moments) but given THAT part of the ending, I’m hoping we get even more of their romance in the third book. ?

The new characters added were some of my favorite side characters. I’m hoping they’ll pop up in any future books (if Kerri adds on after the third one she’s announced) for assistance for Audrey Rose and Thomas in a future case. These two really do remind me of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and I absolutely love it!
  
A Baker Street Wedding
A Baker Street Wedding
Michael Robertson | 2018 | Mystery
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Laura and Reggie Honeymoon with Danger
Barrister Reggie Heath and actress Laura Rankin have finally tied the knot. When the paparazzi crash their wedding, they make a hasty exit and change their honeymoon destination. Laura find them the one rental in a quiet village on a remote part of the British coast. Only after they land does Reggie find out about Laura’s past in the village, but he doesn’t realize she has another reason for visiting now. Something is going on in what appears to be a quiet village. Will they figure things out before it is too late?

Those familiar with this series know about the fun premise, the letters that people send to Sherlock Holmes get Reggie involved in mysteries. That’s true here again, although how that comes together I will leave for you to discover. I did feel the beginning was a little slow. Yes, it was set up, but it still could have moved faster. I was certainly enjoying it, but about half way through it kicked into high gear and then I was really hooked. Only a few characters return from earlier books in the series, one of whom I wasn’t excited to see again, but the new characters definitely help pick up the slack and made me care about the outcome. Fans of the series will be happy with this latest entry.
  
13. Unlucky for some?

The reason I bring that up is because this is the 13th entry in the Cato and Macro series that began way back in 2001 with [b: Under the Eagle|578428|Under the Eagle (Eagle, #1)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1315349321s/578428.jpg|565359] and, by now, you pretty much know what to expect!

Taking place not long after [b: The Blood Crows|18484220|The Blood Crows (Eagle, #12)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380275584s/18484220.jpg|25144364], this is also set back in Brittania, with the culmination (?) of the campaign against Caratacus.

Somehow, however, I found this to be 'flatter' than the previous novels; just not as engaging as before. I don't know whether this is to do with the change in the circumstances between Cato and Macro or in the fact that I've been reading quite a few historical fiction novels recently or what, but this (I felt) was just not as good as the earlier entries in the series.

(Oh, and as an aside: my version came with a short story 'The Red Sail' included, with that story having two endings. All in all, I think I actually preferred the alternative ending - every hero, after all, needs his nemesis. Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, Sherlock Holmes had Moriarity .. )