Lübbe Audio – Page 3 – Carol's Notebook

Deadlier than Fiction by Helena Marchmont

August 14, 2021August 11, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

This time around much of the action is center on the new Bunburry public library Alfie has helped set up. It's in the massive home of Mrs. Radford-Jones, who is a wonderful character, caring and proper and rich. A widow comes to the "Bunberry Triangle" convinced her husband was frightened to death, so scared of something that he had a heart attack. Turns out the man was the second member of a book club to die. The story is good and I love the new characters. Alfie doesn't actually do much investigating, more stumbles onto things. And really should stop worrying about Betty, who has still not come back or communicated with him. Liz and Marge have very little to do this time around either. While I loved the new characters, the plot was a bit lacking. There was too much "we just happened to be talking about this yesterday," and "I just happened to wander past her empty cottage." Really...

Sheep Secrets by Helena Marchmont

August 12, 2021August 11, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

In Sheep Secrets, Emma convinces Alfie to join an outdoor survival class in order to help save a friend's good name. A man who was taking the course was found dead at the bottom of a quarry, presumably an accident, but still a threat to the business. I kind of wish Alfie's love life, or lack thereof, were left out of the books. Should he date Emma? Should he hope Betty comes back? I don't really care honestly. The characters and setting are fun and quirky enough that I don't think it needs Alfie brooding about women. I know a budding romance is a feature in most cozy mysteries, but it's also the part that is most likely to annoy me. Oscar gets to help out a bit in this mystery. The dead man had co-workers in London, so Oscar does a bit of talking and digging, which makes a nice addition to the investigation in Bunburry. The mystery was...

Sweet Revenge by Helena Marchmont

August 11, 2021August 10, 2021 by CarolNo Comments

I enjoy these Bunburry novellas. This time I listened to three back-to-back. I've been listening to the series in order. There's no reason not to, each is so short, and they do build on each other rather well. Alfie returns to London, which is good, but it's because Liz and Marge need his help.is in London and miserable after the disastrous movie wrap party in book 6 and called back to Bunburry to help Liz and Marge. Their famous Bunburry fudge is part of a police investigation. The guests of a society wedding became ill during the reception and of course the fudge was part of the spread. Liz and Marge risk losing the fudge business if Alfie and Emma can't clear their name. This is such a cozy mystery - no one even dies in this one, although it's close. The characters are fun and quirky and caring. The clues are presented without being overly obvious. It's just a light, enjoyable...

Murder Wore a Mask by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

Sir Harry Mortimer and his American wife, Kat, are settling into married life in the small town of Mydworth. Murder Wore a Mask is the fourthin the Mydworth series and can be read as a stand-alone, but since they’re each only a little over 100 pages, it might just make as much sense to go back and meet Harry and Kat at the beginning. They make a good couple. They’re both smart and resourceful. And the books are enjoyable, quick reads. This time around we're back at Aunt Lavinia's house for a masked ball. A man is found dead by the lake, apparently of a heart attack. Thankfully, many of the guests are spending the weekend at the manor, so when Harry and Kat find out that it was actually murder, all of the suspects are still around. There are a couple of interesting twists and the characters are fun. The masks everyone was wearing fit into the solution too, which was...

A Shot in the Dark by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello

March 11, 2020April 16, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

I've listened to several of the Cherringham series by this Richards and Costello, so when I stumbled across A Shot in the Dark, the first in their Mydworth series, I went ahead and picked it up. I enjoy a light mystery novella, and this fit the bill. Lord Harry Mortimer and his new wife, Kat have just arrived in England, when Harry is called to Whitehall on urgent business. So Kat decides to drive herself to their new home, but when she arrives, it's all locked up. She walks across the fields to "nearby" Mydworth Manor where Harry's aunt, Lady Lavinia, lives. As she arrives she hears gunshots, a man falls from a window and more shots are fired in her direction. Not quite what she was expecting. Harry arrives and they search the body and find jewelry in his pockets. The man was Lady Lavinia's driver, who was apparently shot while attempting to rob one of her guests. She asks Harry,...

Murder in High Places by Helen Marchmont

November 15, 2019November 14, 2019 by Carol4 Comments

I've been enjoying the Bunburry novellas, but I really think for Murder in High Places it's helpful if you've read a couple of the earlier ones. We finally meet Oscar! He comes down to visit, drawn by a party. To understand how kind of awesome that is, you need to know a little more about Oscar than this episode gives you. He's Alfie's best friend, but thinks living in the country and not London is ridiculous. And of course everyone in town acts like they already know him, since they've heard so much from Alfie. Alfie, Betty and Oscar go to the party. Alfie and Betty have some major communications errors and Alfie acts like an all-around jerk. Granted, Betty's not much better, but at least she isn't blatantly flirting with anyone else. And then we have a murder. Sergeant Wilson immediately arrests the most obvious suspect, but, since this is a cozy mystery, that's clearly not the right solution. The...