The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict

by CarolNo Comments
How could I pass this one up? We've got Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy working together to solve a murder. I've read books by all the authors and it was fun seeing the brought to life was fun. The story is told from Sayers' point of view, so we get the most insight into her life and personality, but the others all have their own strengths. It was interesting to see how these strong, intelligent, successful women still have to fight for respect, recognition and inclusion. It also gives us a look at how women in general were treated in the years following WW1, from surplus women to crime victims and witnesses. The mystery itself was put together well. We had several reasonable suspects and the women do a good job with the investigation, even if it's much more difficult in real life than it is for their fictional characters. It is...
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Death on the Night Train to Verona by Benedict Brown

Death on the Night Train to Verona by Benedict Brown

by CarolNo Comments
It's 1929 and Christopher and his grandfather, Lord Edgington, are touring the continent. They're taking the night train from Rome to Verona, but no one will be getting any sleep after the famous actress, Geraldine de la Forge, is found killed in her sleeping compartment. I love the 20s setting with its Golden Age touches. The characters, both returning and new, are given full personalities with strengths and flaws. The clues were well placed and it's a good puzzle. I tend to enjoy most of Benedict Brown's mysteries....
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Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite

by CarolNo Comments
Murder by Memory is trying to be Miss Marple but as a professional detective in space. While it doesn't quite deliver on that promise, it is enjoyable. I wish the story was a little longer. At only 100 pages, we get to know the world and the characters, but not as well as I would like. Dorothy Gentleman is a good character and I found the way the generational shipped worked interesting. The sci fi is pretty light, not heavy on technical jargon. The mystery was well done and I appreciate that it tied into the science fiction aspects of the book....
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Sprinkles and Sea Serpents by Danielle Garrett

Sprinkles and Sea Serpents by Danielle Garrett

by CarolNo Comments
Sprinkles and Sea Serpents is a fun book.  Ella. our main character, has an interesting power - everyone in Winterspell Lake has some kind of magic, even if others are a bit leery of it. She's a former journalist, so the mystery of the missing women grabs her attention. I liked Ella for the most part, but she made some not great decisions. The mystery itself was good enough. I wasn't surprised by who the bad guy was, but there some unanswered questions at the end that will almost definitely come up in the next. I liked romantic interest, too. I thought they worked well together. I'll probably read #1.5 around Christmas....
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Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

by CarolNo Comments
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is not my typical mystery read. The problem is simple enough. Her client, Leon, wants her to find his Uncle Vic, an assistant district attorney who disappeared during Hurricane Katrina. But Claire is not a conventional detective, Vic was not always a nice guy, and New Orleans is suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder. Claire follows Jacques Silette and his manual, Détection. It's about recognizing clues not finding them, about allowing connections to reveal themselves. Claire is guided by the typical interviews and clues, but also visions, dreams, and drug-induced states. It's slower moving for a mystery and we get bits and pieces of her background and what brought her to where she is now, both mentally and physically. New Orleans is a character in and of itself. Katrina has devastated the city and recovery is slow. It's a dark violent place for the people Claire interacts with, but it's also where they belong. It's engrossing...
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By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

by Carol1 Comment
Tommy and Tuppence are well into middle age here, but still have a wonderful relationship. Tommy’s crotchety old aunt dies, but before she does Tuppence meets another woman at the same nursing home who says a few mysterious things that unnerve her. When the lady goes missing, Tuppence sets off to find her, ostensibly to return a painting. The mystery is a bit convoluted but enjoyable and wraps everything up in the end well. I love that Tuppence is still willing to go on an adventure and that Tommy supports her. I may have to give in soon and get BritBox so I can watch the new Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence series....
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