Audiobook – Page 35 – Carol's Notebook

Death at Beresford Hall by Emma Davies

December 12, 2022December 12, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

Death at Beresford Hall is the 4th in the Adam and Eve series. It worked okay as a stand-alone, but I think I would have benefitted from knowing a bit more about Fran and Adam and their previous cases. We're kind of dropped in the middle of the action. Fran is undercover at a cooking show tv competition, posing as a writer gathering "behind the scenes" info about the show, with Adam there to assist. The show's star, Miranda Appleby, has been receiving threatening gifts and Fran and Adam are charged with finding out who is doing it. Things turn more complicated when Miranda manipulates Fran into stepping in as a contestant on the show. Then, of course, Miranda ends up murdered, killed with a cake knife. The "behind the scenes" peek at a reality cooking show was fun. There's plenty of jealousy and backstabbing and secrets. The clues were tucked in well, with several red herrings and enough suspects to...

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune by J. Lawrence Matthews

December 2, 2022December 1, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

How could I pass by Sherlock at Christmas? The Case of the Disappearing Beaune opens with Watson stopping by Sherlock's rooms to invite him to Christmas dinner. Sherlock, of course, refuses, but as he gives Watson his Christmas gift, a bottle of beaune, the pair realizes the wine has been replaced with sand. And Sherlock knows where that sand is from. Sherlock is sure it signifies a threat to the king, so off the two go, on a race through London to solve the case. For a short story, there were several twists and it showed off Holmes' detecting style well. We also encounter several old friends along the way. It's a sweet, light Christmas story with a rather surprising ending. It makes a perfect holiday story, but perhaps a slightly disappointing mystery....

Candy Cane Conspiracy by Cate Lawley

November 30, 2022November 29, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

Candy Cane Conspiracy is fun and cute. I did read "Tea with a Demon" first, which is a short story telling about the book Trixie and her grandmother are updating, All Things Magical and Bumpy Things in the Night. It's also the first time Trixie meets Sylvester, a very handsome, very gentlemanly, very knowledgeable demon who plays a major role in the Candy Cane Conspiracy. Trixie has moved to Idaho to escape her magical creature problem, but of course, it's not that easy. The local furry fairies who look a lot like squirrels have been bothering her. And then one day close to Christmas, she comes out of her house one morning on her way to work to discover that her bushes and trees are filled with candy canes, thanks to the fairies. Turns out there's been a murder in town. A local witch is dead, stabbed with a candy cane just like the ones in her yard. Sylvester, newly arrived...

The Twist of a Knife by Anthony Horowitz

November 25, 2022November 23, 2022 by CarolNo Comments

First off, Rory Kinnear does a fabulous job as the narrator of The Twist of a Knife. The story is told in the first person by the fictionalized Anthony Horowitz, so hopefully, I'll never hear the real Horowitz speak, since I'll expect Kinnear's voice. Beyond that, though, he does all the characters' voices well, inserting their personality and feelings into their dialogue. When I first started this series, I wasn't a fan of Horowitz inserting himself into the story as the detective's sidekick, but I've changed my mind. The bits of his real-life intermingled with the fictional plot are fun. For example, he really did write a play called Mindgame that really was performed at the Vaudeville Theatre. As the blurb states, Horowitz is the main suspect this time, accused of murdering a theater critic, and the evidence is mounting. Of course, he turns to Hawthorne, who takes the case. (He has his own reasons for doing so; it's not just out...

Frozen Detective by Amanda Flower

November 22, 2022November 22, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

Frozen Detective is a fun, wintery mystery that takes place at New Year's. Darby and Tate take on a case for Tate's old friend, Cecily (CeCe) Madd. Cecily's husband has been receiving threatening notes and she's worried his life is in danger, but of course, she wants to avoid the publicity that calling in the police might bring. Darby and Tate go undercover to a New Year's party Cecily and Dr. Madd are holding at the nearby ski resort. And, of course, first thing on New Year's Day, Dr. Madd is killed, shot with a crossbow on the ski slope. The Police close the lodge and ordered the guests to remain. Darby and Tate must find the killer before the weekend ends and the guests leave. I enjoyed Darby and Tate. Darby is an experienced PI, but Tate is pretty new to the agency and it was good to see how they have to learn to trust each other and recognize...

Murder on the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

November 17, 2022November 17, 2022 by Carol2 Comments

It's the night before Christmas Eve, and the sleeper train to Fort William leaves Euston with a number of passengers on board, including a killer, a stowaway, and former Met detective Roz Parker. The first part of the book introduces us to all the characters. In addition to Roz, we have a widely varied group, including a social media influencer and her boyfriend, a reality tv "star"; four students competing for a place in a quiz team; a couple traveling with their four children; a lawyer; an elderly woman and her son; and of course the train crew. Somewhere after Edinburgh, in heavy snow, the train is derailed, and shortly afterward, one of the passengers is found dead. I love a good closed-circle mystery, especially one set around Christmas. MurderOne of the people on the train is a killer, that's clear, especially when there's a second death. Of course, several of the passengers have secrets, worries, and, in true...