Book Reviews – Page 79 – Carol's Notebook

Lost Hills by Lee Goldberg

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

At heart, Lost Hills is a police procedural. Eve is new to the homicide division, having been promoted more due to sway public opinion than because of her actual skills. This is her first major case and it has the potential to make her a star or to go terribly awry. The crime is gruesome, and a lot more bloody than most books I read. Eve is tough and intelligent. She knows fate threw her a good turn with the new job and she's determined to prove she belongs. She's no-nonsense and super dedicated. She's paired with an older detective who is close to retirement. He provides some of the funnier moments, but he also supports her when it seems reasonable, lends his experience and authority to the investigation, and reminds her to do things like eat and sleep. He believes in balancing life and the job, which is an example she clearly needs. This is police work that doesn't...

The Big Kahuna by Janet Evanovich and Peter Evanovich

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

The Big Kauna is the 6th in the Fox and O'Hare series, but can totally be read as a stand-alone. And maybe should be. It's a good adventure, just doesn't fit well with the rest of the series. Kate is FBI forced to team up with Nick, a con man/crook. Throughout the series, the relationship between those two has been the draw. They are attracted to each other, and equals in intelligence and toughness, but their different morals cause the tension. Here the chemistry wasn't as charming. It was more Nick makes a pass, Kate blows him off. I didn't buy it. They banter wasn't amusing, it was awkward. And I thought their relationship was a little close after #5 than it appears here, but I could be misremembering. In addition to Nick and Kate, we always have a rag-tag crew. Kate's dad is along to provide all the necessary explosions and big weapons. We've also got an instragram celebrity, her...

Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham

January 14, 2020January 14, 2020 by CarolNo Comments

Campion is contacted by Joyce Blount, who is engaged to a friend of his. Joyce lives in Socrates Close, Cambridge, surrounded by the old, eccentric Faraday family. The matriarch of the family is Caroline Faraday, widow of a famous academic. However, Uncle Andrew has gone missing and all is not well within the household. As a favor to his friend, Marcus, Campion goes to the house and helps with the investigation. Upper-class families are always at least a bit more open to others like themselves than to detectives. It turns out Uncle Andrew is dead, just the first of the murders. The family members don't get along well, but they all rely on Mrs. Faraday, since none have money of their own. To be honest, I really enjoyed them. One Aunt was a bit of a religious fanatic, an uncle is a closet drinker who wants to be braver than he is, Joyce is just sweet, Carolin is as tough as...

Why We Can’t Sleep by Ada Calhoun

January 13, 2020January 13, 2020 by Carol1 Comment

This summer was the first time someone referred to me as "middle-aged." I'll be honest, it threw me for a bit of a loop. Usually, people tend to think I'm younger than I am, but this person has known me since I was a kid and knows exactly how old I am. He's also not the most tactful of people. Apparently, Gen X-ers are hitting middle-age. Why We Can't Sleep is for and about us - middle-class Generation X women in America. Calhoun has done a lot of research, historical and social, and spent a lot of time interviewing women from across the country. If you're one of us, at least parts of the book will strike a chord. She talks about watching the Challenger explosion at school, about Oregon Trail, about being new to the workforce during the early-2000s recession and about buying our houses right before the housing crisis. She looked into housing costs, HR trends, credit card...

Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen

January 10, 2020January 10, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

I promise this is the last Lady Georgiana Rannoch book for a while. I need a break, even though they are a lot of fun. In this one, Georgie fiance's father is accused of murder. Darcy tries to keep her out of the whole situation, but of course Georgie, thankfully, has a mind of her own and joins him in Ireland to help prove his father's innocence. I enjoyed the move in the action to Ireland. Darcy's family are kooky, but fun and solid people. While this can be read as a stand-alone, you'll miss some of the history of Georgie and Darcy's relationship. The fact that the mystery is so personal keeps Georgie and Darcy focussed. The few clues were slowly revealed and I found the solution a bit unlikely, even if not surprising. There was one moment at the end that was unexpected. I actually really enjoyed Georgie's maid, Queenie, this time around. She is devoted if nothing else,...

Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen

January 7, 2020January 6, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

I've been on a bit of a Royal Spyness kick lately. They're light and easy to follow when I'm doing other things. Georgie is delightful as always. This time around, Georgie is staying at Kensington Palace and showing Princess Marina around London. She is the fiancee of the King's sons, George. And then a dead body shows up in the courtyard, a woman who had plenty of lovers including George himself. Georgie gets roped into helping the detective due to her position, but also does a fair amount of investigating on her own. The mystery was fine with a few suspects and some red herrings. Malice at the Palace touches on the plight of unwed mothers at the time, too. The characters are really the highlight. Georgie is fun and caring and smart. She's a bit naive, but I'm not sure how, given the behavior and talk of her mother and her best friend, both of whom are far from innocent....