Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

by Carol1 Comment
It's 1171 and King Henry II has a problem. Children are being murdered in Cambridge, and the Jews have been blamed, which wouldn't matter much, except the King gets a lot of taxes from them. The Jews are currently under the King's protection in a castle fortress, but the situation needs resolved. He requests aid from the King of Sicily, who send an unlikely trio to England: Simon of Naples, a Jewish investigator; Mansur, a eunuch Saracen; and Adelia Aguilar, a woman doctor trained in the study of corpses.  The medieval setting was fascinating.. Religion and politics are completely intertwined. The crusades are on-going. There are calls for the Jews removal from England. Women have little to no value or sway. Adelia, herself, has to pretend she is not as competent and knowledgeable as she is, just to avoid being burned as a witch. Women in historical novels are so often more progressive and have more agency than the majority did...
Read More
Middlebridge Mysteries 2 by Ken Cuperus

Middlebridge Mysteries 2 by Ken Cuperus

by CarolNo Comments
This is a fun audio. We have three separate mysteries, each with two episodes-one involving Violet's mom, one involving Stuart, and one involving Professor Bellows. Violet is not the most organized person and juggling classes and the mysteries she keeps getting involved in is difficult. She's also not the most considerate person - she only pays attention to her boyfriend when she needs something. I like that her relationship with Stuart is turning a little more friends and less a pure rivalry. The mysteries fit into the college setting. They're not overly complicated since they're each only about an hour long. The characters are well-developed, even the annoying ones have their good points, and the voice actors are great. I'm usually not a huge fan of full cast, but since this was designed to be an audio, never a print book, it works well. I'm looking forward to the next installment, and Mistletoe Murders 5 comes out this November....
Read More
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...
Read More
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....
Read More
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....
Read More
Veil of Lies by Helena Marchmont

Veil of Lies by Helena Marchmont

by CarolNo Comments
I like the Bunburry series for car rides. Each episode is under four hours long, which makes it perfect to listen to the way of up the lake or a meeting and back. This time around Alfie and Emma are planning their wedding - well, Alfie's doing most of the planning. Of course, nothing ever goes quite as planned and one of the wedding planner's staff is found dead. Of course, the Bunburry triangle gets involved. It's a quick listen. The returning characters are fun to catch up with and the new ones are developed well. I would like a bit more Oscar, but that's just me. The mystery is wrapped up well. I'll definitely listen to the next one....
Read More