The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

I'll admit, the whole Agatha Christie/ Antiques Roadshow/ Indiana Jones vibe is what drew me to The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder. When Freya learns that Arthur Crockleford, her aunt's best friend and her own mentor, is dead, Freya Lockwood heads back to her hometown. When she gets there, she and Aunt Carole become suspicious of the events surrounding Arthur's death and become convinced they can find answers at an antique retreat Arthur arranged for them to attend before his death. I wanted to like Freya. She's middle-aged, and recently divorced from her negative, controlling, husband. Decades ago, she had been an antiques hunter, repatriating stolen antiques and antiquities, but she left that world due to "what happened in Cairo," which she dwells on a lot. Now that she's single and her daughter is studying in America, maybe it's time for her to rediscover herself. I enjoy her when she's tough and uses her skill and knowledge, but she spends...
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Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

Motherless Brooklyn by Jonathan Lethem

Motherless Brooklyn is at heart a take on the classic detective story, but with an unlikely hero in Lionel Essrog who has Tourette's syndrome. I listened to the audio on this one and I have to believe that hearing the verbal tics and outbursts worked better than reading them in print would have. Lionel was rescued as a teenager from the orphanage by a small-time crook, Frank Minna, who hired Lionel and three other boys to do odd jobs and staff a questionable car service/detective agency. When Minna is stabbed to death, Lionel decides it's up to him to find the murderer. The plot is put together well, with some of the usual suspects - two old time Mafia men, a hired goon, a potentially evil Japanese corporation, and the dead man's wife, but there are a few interesting twists too. The star, though, is really Lionel. He's funny, both intentionally and unintentionally, and trying to follow the clues the...
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The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

The Highgate Cemetery Murder by Irina Shapiro

The Highgate Cemetery Murder opens with the discovery of the gruesome murder a young woman on the morning of All Saints’ Day, 1858, who is displayed on a cross in Highgate Cemetery with a pig’s heart around her neck. A journalist who may have witnessed the crime falls under the wheels of an omnibus and is killed. Gemma Tate, a nurse recently returned from the Crimea, is the sister of the journalist and doesn’t believe his death was an accident. Sebastian Bell is the police officer assigned to investigate the murder of the young woman victim in the cemetery. Soon the two begin working together against Bell's better judgement to solve the two suspicious deaths. This book is a little darker than what I usually read. The details around the murder really are horrific. And this is not a romanticized Victorian London; it's dirty, grim, and harsh for many that live there. The author shows us the prejudices, class distinctions, and...
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Once Upon a Murder by Samantha Larsen

Once Upon a Murder by Samantha Larsen

I enjoyed the first of the Lady Librarian mysteries, A Novel Disguise. Tiffany was interesting and bold and determined. Her relationship with Samir was fun. I wasn't quite as enamored by Once Upon a Murder. Tiffany is fairly happily employed as the librarian for the Duchess of Beaufort. It all goes awry when she finds the frozen dead body of former footman Mr. Bernard Coram just outside her cottage. Tiffany is quickly cleared as a suspect, but Samir, Tiffany's friend and love interest, is arrested. The mystery was well-done, with several suspects and enough clues to lead Tiffany in the right direction. The characters are great, whether they're likable or not. But, I don't need to hear about Tiffany's cramps or her longing for children. I'd rather not have children or baby's in my mysteries and in this one, I found them a distraction rather than adding value to the book. Yes, the kids added some humor, but I'd rather have the...
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Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke

Rhythm and Clues is the third Record Shop Mystery, featuring sisters Tansey, Maggie, and Juni, owners of Sip and Spin Records, a coffee and record shop in a small town near Austin, Texas. The shop is barely making a profit, but the sisters have been approached by a potential investor. The investor, Zach, and his partner invite Juni and Beau, a local cop to a hockey game, but later that night, Zach is killed during a major storm, found dead in a car that wrecked outside of the record shop. Juni, of course, can't help getting involved in the case. I enjoy spending time with Juni and her sisters. They each have their own personalities and they work together well. The setup worked well. The storm flooded parts of town, made some roads impassable, and knocked out the power. The killer is stuck in town. Juni has several suspects, with clues that point in different directions. The plot flows well and...
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Dream Town by Lee Goldberg

Dream Town by Lee Goldberg

Dream Town, the fifth in the Eve Ronin series, is largely set in Hidden Hills in Los Angeles County, and a gated community with wealthy residents and plenty of horse trails. When reality show star Kitty Winslow is killed in her home there and bones are found in the state park adjacent to the community, homicide detective Eve Ronin and her partner Duncan Pavone get both cases. At the same time, the television show about a fictional version of Eve is filming in the area which is creating a bit of havoc and conflict. I do think this is a series best read from the beginning. Eve is not well-liked around the department due to events covered in the earlier books and you'll have a better understanding of her family tensions. Duncan and Eve make a good team. Eve is focused and ambitious. She's hard-working and has good instincts that often drive the plot. Dunc, who has delayed his retirement, knows...
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