A Midnight Puzzle by Gigi Pandian
A Midnight Puzzle is the third in the Secret Staircase series, and I do think they are best read in order. Tempest, a former stage magician, is enjoying her work with her father's Secret Staircase Construction company. So, when a customer who is filing a lawsuit against the company is murdered, Tempest decides she has to investigate to save the family business.
This time around the connection to Tempest's family is clear. The man is murdered by a booby trap at the theater Tempest is renting for one final show, the theater where Tempest's mom disappeared. I'll be honest, this overarching mystery about the family curse has not been my favorite part of the first two books. I'm glad we get a solution here, but for me, this book just wasn't as fun as the last one. And I did guess the killer before it was revealed, although there were a couple of decent twists before we got there.
I listened to...
Journey Under the Midnight Sun by Keigo Higashino
Journey Under the Midnight Sun is compelling and clever and not a typical mystery. A pawnbroker is found murdered in an abandoned building in Osaka in 1973. Detective Sasagaki is assigned to the case. He uncovers a lot of clues and possible suspects but is never able to charge anyone with the crime. The case reaches a dead end and Sasagaki is forced to give up his investigation. However, he continues to keep tabs on the two pre-teens involved in the case the daughter of Fumiyo Nishimoto: Yukiho, the daughter of a woman suspected of having an affair with the pawnbroker, and Ryo Kirihara, the dead man's son. We see how the crime affects their lives through the next 20 years.
The story is told from multiple points of view, mostly minor characters', letting us learn about the events and Yukiho and Ryo from various perspectives, but never from their viewpoint. A lot of characters get introduced, some of...
Death by Demo by Callie Carpenter
It's always fun to catch a new series at the beginning. Jaime has recently divorced due to her husband's infidelity and she is starting over again. Thanks to a bad prenup all she has for the years she spent working with her husband in their construction company is one very rundown house. She decides to go ahead and renovate rather than sell it as is. But of course, when she knocks down one of the interior (non-structural) walls, she finds a corpse. When the cops designate her house a crime scene, she decides she has to figure out who the killer is as soon as possible so she can get back to work on the project.
The mystery is put together well. We've got several suspects and a couple of the clues are right up Jaime's alley. Jaime is a good character, rediscovering herself and finding her strengths. She also knows everyone in town, which makes it easier for her to...
The Fury by Alex Michaelides
The blurb for The Fury grabbed my attention. A famous former movie star and her friends trapped on a Greek Island and someone is murdered - sign me up.
Elliott Chase is our narrator and listening to the audio worked perfectly for the writing style. Elliott constantly addresses the reader, tells us the events but only from the angle he wants us to see, and acknowledges his flaws as a narrator. It was interesting how he goes back over scenes, each time adding new details, but how he could have known some piece is unclear. Jennings does a good job of hitting Elliot's tone and moods. Honestly, the fact that it was an audiobook is what allowed me to finish it.
The setup was so promising, but the book never lived up to it. The narrative style came across as trying too hard to be clever. I didn't care about any of the characters and while the island should have been gorgeous,...
A Cocktail to Die For by Helen Golden
I thoroughly enjoy the Right Royal cozy mysteries, and A Cocktail to Die for is not exception. This time around Lady Bea, Perry and a small group of friends have gathered for a relaxing spa weekend at Chasingham House prior to Perry's wedding to Simon. Another small group is also staying at Chasingham celebrating a birthday. It's no surprise that one of the birthday party ends up dead. Lady Bea and Perry are the kind of people I would love to hang out with in real life if so many deaths didn't happen around them.
The mysrtery is well-plotted and engaging.The story takes place over two days at the hotel, and there is a limited number of suspects, but with the lies and tension, it's difficult to guess the solution.
As always, Bea and Perry are perfect. This is a fun read, a great mix of murder and humor. We also get to spend time at the hotel which sounds fabulous.
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