Book Reviews – Page 83 – Carol's Notebook

Drop Dead, Gorgeous by Helena Marchmont

November 14, 2019November 13, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

I was browsing Audible the other day and was happy to see Drop Dead, Gorgeous was out. This is just a fun little series. Alfie has inherited his aunt's cottage in the Cotswolds and has been living there for almost a year now. He's finally gathered the courage to ask the local beautician about getting a pedicure, something he enjoyed in London, but most men in Bunburry do not get pedicures. He meets the beautician while she is out walking her dog and they go back to the salon to set up the appointment only to find, what else? A dead body. Eve Mosby had been receiving a deluxe treatment, massage, hair, botox, the works, and the beautician had snuck out while Eve was napping, obviously not expecting her to be murdered while she was gone. Time for the Bunburry Triangle to take a look at the case. Alfie, Liz, and Marge toss around theories and go about asking questions as...

Murder at Melrose Court by Karen Baugh Menuhin

November 13, 2019November 12, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

If you know me as a reader, you know a country manor house at Christmas is my favorite setting for a murder. After finding a dead man on his doorstep - apparently from natural causes - Lennox heads to his uncle's manor house for Christmas. Unfortunately, one of the other guests, his uncle's fiancee, is murdered and Lennox becomes the chief suspect. When the house gets snowed in and the police can't come, Lennox does his own investigating. He's a charming character. He fought in the war and is now mostly gathering debt, but he's intelligent and funny and willing to act in his own self-interests. He's a bachelor and has the most adorable dog. Of course one of the house party must be guilty. Lennox knows it's not him or his uncle, but is suspicious of almost everyone else. They all have secrets and potential motives. Even the servants come under Lennox' scrutiny, if only temporarily. It's a good set...

The Last Castle by Denise Kiernan

November 12, 2019November 12, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

David and I spent a day at Biltmore on vacation a couple of weeks ago. It's a gorgeous house and estate and we happened to be there when it was mostly decorated for Christmas inside; the big tree hadn't arrived yet though. I just wish it hadn't been raining. At that time I was over halfway through The Last Castle. I had picked it up to read before we left and had hoped to have it finished by our trip, but time doesn't always work like I want it to. I had finished the most important parts about the building of the house, the life George and Edith Vanderbilt had there as newlyweds, the early growth of the village around Biltmore and Asheville itself, and the loss of important people in the couples' lives. The Last Castle is thoroughly researched and reading it definitely added to my enjoyment of my visit to the estate. I loved seeing the rooms and views...

Nogged Off by Barbara Ross

November 7, 2019November 11, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

Yes, I've started reading Christmas books. No, I haven't started Christmas shopping. I read a Halloween novella in the Maine Clambake Mystery series and enjoyed it, so I picked up this Christmas one. I do love seasonal reads. Nogged Off was fun and light and has a bit of a twist at the end. Julia is trying to wrap everything up in New York, bringing all of her belongings back to Maine. The problem is that Imogene, who was going to take over the apartment, has just lost her job and broken up with her boyfriend. Julia takes pity on her and brings her to Maine for Christmas. And that's when all the trouble starts. Imogene just attracts disaster. And then Imogene's ex-boyfriend shows up, murdered in the back of the moving truck. This is a novella, and the focus is mostly on Julia and Imogene. The mystery itself was good. We see the clues along with Julia and the cops are...

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

October 25, 2019November 13, 2019 by Carol5 Comments

I did see the movie version of The Talented Mr. Ripley starring Matt Damon back when, so I had some vague idea of what I was getting into with the novel, but I didn't honestly remember much. Tom Ripley is probably a sociopath. He conveniently leaves murder off his list. He is definitely an expert manipulator and liar, lacks a conscience, is obsessive, and has difficulty with personal relationships. He is sent to Italy by a wealthy man with the intent of convincing the man's son to return to America. Needless to say, that does not happen. He spends some time playing the rich American, sight-seeing, eating, hanging out with his new friend, Dickie Greenleaf, and Dickie's maybe girlfriend Marge, who Tom clearly doesn't like. He wants Dickie to himself and sees Marge as an obstacle to that. We see the world through Tom Ripley's eyes, which is fascinating and disturbing. Everything he does is logical, given his reasoning. He has...

Unquiet Spirits by Bonnie MacBird

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 by Carol2 Comments

I usually don't read two from the same series back to back, but I didn't feel like trying to decide which audiobook to listen to next, so just went with #2 in MacBird's Sherlock Holmes Adventures. It was an enjoyable follow-up to Art in the Blood. Unquiet Spirits is a fast-paced, multi-layered mystery. Of course, all three pieces of the plot are connected. They almost always are in mysteries. I loved the atmosphere of the haunted Scottish castle and liked learning the details of the whiskey industry at the time. Holmes investigation brings him to the home of the McLarens in Scotland. The McLarens are not a nice family, though they make excellent whiskey. They don't like each other, not even the married couples. They are spiteful and put ambition over just about anything else. They want Holmes to investigate a situation for them, but don't want him to expose any of their other secrets. Holmes of course has...