Tantor Audio – Carol's Notebook

The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds by Bobbi Holmes

October 25, 2023October 25, 2023 by Carol1 Comment

The Ghost Who Loved Diamonds is the second in the Haunting Danielle series. I did not read the first, but I felt the author did a fine job getting me up to speed. Danielle Boatman inherited Marlow House from her aunt and is planning on opening it as a B&B. The house is haunted by Walt Marlow, who is charming. I think his murder was solved in the first book. Danielle's annying cousin, Cheryl, has showed up and wants her half of the inheritance, especially the Thorndike necklace. This was a fun book. I liked Danielle and her friends, at least the ones who believe in her. Cheryl is a bit over the top, but it works for the story. The cops were less than competent, as in most cozies. The mystery moved along at a good pace, with several suspects and enough clues and red herrings. I was surpised by who the killer turned out to be. ...

The Map Thief by Michael Blanding

October 16, 2023October 16, 2023 by Carol2 Comments

I found The Map Thief absolutely fascinating, not so much because of map dealer turned thief E. Forbes Smiley, but because of all the information about the history of mapmaking and map collecting. I will admit that I did pick it up because it's a true crime story. Smiley was a respected antiquarian map dealer in who ended up over his head and began stealing rare and famous maps from universities and turning around and selling them. Eventually, he got caught, but it was surprising how little security the rare book/map rooms had. And how incomplete the record-keeping was. And collectors and most other dealers never questioned his finds either. My favorite parts of the book were when Blanding spent time explaining the maps that were stolen and their significance. It was well-researched and easy to read. I learned so much about maps, their uses, the history of map making, and the historical figures behind them. I probably won't remember much...

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch

October 12, 2023October 12, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

Moon Over Soho is funny and dark and full of magic. This time around we've got a jazz vampire on the loose in London. And a potentially very dangerous unethical wizard. This is the second in the series. Peter Grant is a cop/ apprentice wizard in London. He's called to the morgue where Dr. Walid wants him to note the definite vestigia about a dead man. Peter gets a clear sound of jazz sax, the kind of clue that only comes with strong magic. As Peter traces the steps of the jazz musician's life, he ends up meeting his former girlfriend, Simone, as well as his band-mates. I don't acutally have a lot to say about this one although I thoroughly enjoyed it. Peter's a great character, although he maybe lets his heart lead him a bit too much. I loved the jazz references and the bits of London history that were thrown in. There were a few rather creepy scenes....

Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch

October 5, 2023October 4, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

Midnight Riot was so fun, in the way that murder, magic, ghosts, and British slang can sometimes be. Constable Peter Grant is on probation and about to be assigned a post where his days will be filled with paperwork. It is only by (bad?) luck, that he stumbles on a murder scene and meets an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost, a ghost he can see and talk with. Peter ends up being assigned to assist Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who runs the Special Operations Unit, responsible for investigating the "unusual" in London. In this first in the series, the two are dealing with a spike of unusual murders in the city while also trying to broker a deal between the gods and goddess of the Rivers of the Thames. Peter, from whose viewpoint we see the story, is a fabulous character. He has is self-deprecating and firmly rooted in the modern world. He also has an interesting family...

A Fatal Groove by Olivia Blacke

September 15, 2023September 15, 2023 by Carol1 Comment

This second Record Shop Mystery is a fun, breezy, cozy mystery read. In the first book, we met Juni and her sister, Maggie and Tansy who have opened a record album/ coffee chop is Cedar River, Texas. This time around the mayor has been murdered and of course the Jessup sisters are in the thick of it. Tansy is the one who brewed the coffee that killed him and Juni is the one who discovered the body. I like the sisters. They support each other, but can also be a bit snarky. Their family and friends are well-developed too. And of course, we get a couple of cute animals, including a cow. The mystery itself is good. I did guess who the killer was, but there were plenty of red herrings for distraction. The treasure hunt side plot was a nice addition. ...

A Trip with Trouble by Diane Kelly

August 15, 2023August 15, 2023 by CarolNo Comments

I like the basic setup here. Misty owns the Mountaintop Lodge and is hosting a group of women motorcyclists for the week. And one of the bikers ends up dead, killed while they were out on a ride. Misty is naturally observant and working around the lodge gives her the perfect opportunity to talk to the women and get a peek inside their rooms. I like Misty in a lot of ways. She's nice, relatable, and does a good job of sharing information with the police. I also like her relationship with her handyman, Rocky, but I don't like her "should I / what if?"s. She's a decisive, confident woman- otherwise she wouldn't own the lodge. I also don't understand, for someone who has never ridden a motorcycle, how she knows every make and model of the women's bikes as they pull into the lot. She also jumps to conclusions quickly. She's willing to admit when she's wrong and maybe it's...