Purchased – Page 16 – Carol's Notebook

Putin’s People by Catherine Belton

March 8, 2022March 23, 2022 by Carol6 Comments

Putin's People is a clearly well-researched, possibly slightly biased, history of Putin, the KGB, and Russia from the fall of the Soviet Union to a couple of years ago. This was obviously published before the current war, but you can still see it coming. Honestly, the war is why I picked it up. I don't read much history or politics or economics, but then something happens and I wish I had more background to draw on. I am probably not the best audience for this book. There are tons and tons of people, places, companies, very few of which I'm familiar with. It's a dense book and I won't remember many of the details, but it's also well laid out and at times almost reads like a thriller. The Russia of today isn’t much different from the Russia before 1991 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Not only are the viewpoints, world views, and goals for the most part...

A Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022 by Carol4 Comments

A Beautiful Place To Die is a mystery/thriller set in South Africa in 1952 right after the Boer government came to power and instituted laws that restricted relationships between racial groups. Emmanuel Cooper, an English detective, is sent to Jacob's Nest, a small town near the border of Mozambique where the chief of police, Captain Pretorius, has murdered. Cooper is tasked with investigating the crime but runs up against roadblocks galore. First, Pretorius was not just the police chief, he dominated the town. He was a prominent landowner, he and his family owned or controlled most of the businesses, he felt free to do what he wanted. He was also a model Afrikaaner. Then, the Security Branch arrives, determined to find the killer but to be sure that it's a killer that suits their needs, effectively pushing Cooper out of the official investigation. Of course, like any good detective, Cooper continues his search. The mystery itself is well done, with a...

Secrets on the Côte d’Azur by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

Yep, it's another one of the Mydworth mysteries. Secrets on the Côte d'Azur might be my favorite so far. Harry and Kat are on a work/pleasure trip to the French Riviera. Harry has to do a bit of government work and then they can enjoy themselves. Until Aunt Lavinia introduces them to a friend in need of help. Percy Porter, an English pickle baron, is being blackmailed over his relationship with a younger French cabaret singer. The mystery is good. Harry and Kat do a lot asking questions and tailing people. I appreciated the twist in the whodunnit. The characters in this one were great. Harry and Kat are their usual charming selves, but we meet some new people who are entertaining and add a lot to the story. ...

The Wrong Man by Matthew Costello and Neil Richards

February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

The Wrong Man is #7 in the Mydworth series. I don't know that it can really stand alone. I think you'd miss too much about Kat and Harry's place in the village, and honestly, they're each short and fun so why not read them all? Actually, I listen to them. They are perfect for car rides, for walking the dog, for doing chores. The Wrong Man is interesting, has some twists and turns, but is light enough that doesn't need your full attention. It is almost Valentine’s day when Kat and Harry are asked to do whatever they can to save Oliver Brown who is set to be hung for murdering his lifelong friend Ben Carter. The problem is the evidence is overwhelming, and the execution is at dawn in just a couple of days. I really wish the wife would have talked to them earlier, but that would have taken away the tension the deadline provides. Ben’s murder was a...

Danger in the Air by Neil Richards and Matthew Costello

February 21, 2022February 21, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

Amelia Earhart is in England doing a series of shows in order to raise money toward the “Ninety-Nines” – a new organization Amelia is helping found for all female aviators worldwide. Amelia has just finished a show in London and she, along with her sister, Pidge, American reporter Ronald Greene, scheduling agent Wallace Smythe, and chief engineer Paddy O’Brien are heading to a fundraiser at Mydworth Manor. She is flying in a new plane, the Firefly, while the others are driving there. Of course, something happens to the plane, but Amelia manages to land it without injury or damage. Harry realizes that the accident could have been an attempt on Amelia's life and he and his wife, Kat, decide to find out who caused the sabotage and to make sure it doesn't happen again. We've got several suspects, but it was pretty easy to figure out who the bad guy was. Overall, it's a fun story, but not my favorite of...

The Valentine Dine or Die by J.B. Michaels

February 15, 2022February 15, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

I love a good holiday-themed cozy and The Valentine Dine or Die is only 99¢ for Kindle. I did read the first in the series last year, but this one could work fine as a standalone. Mac and Millie, our ex-cop and witch, are back in another fun mystery. What could be better than an interactive mystery dinner experience, especially for Valentine's Day? Mac can't pass up free tickets to the dinner, especially since he hasn't bought a present yet. Of course, since this is a cozy mystery, when the lights go out at dinner, someone ends up well and truly dead. Maybe it's a suicide, probably not. Mac and Millie make a good team, they have some cute banter and they actually trust each other. Vance, Mac's brother, is handling the case for the cops, but he's hitting some dead ends, and Mac doesn't have to follow the rules, which makes his help useful. The characters, even the secondary ones,...