I was looking for a book set in Cuba when I ran across Death Comes in Through the Kitchen. It sounded like one I would enjoy - an interesting setting, an interesting main character, and Cuban food. I ended up being disappointed.
Matt arrives in Havana to meet his Cuban fiancée, Yarmila, hopefully get married and persuade her to return with him to the States. Things go down hill immediately when he finds Yarmila dead in her apartment He becomes a suspect in her murder and the authorities believe he may be an American spy.
We see most of the story from Matt's viewpint.. He's pretty clueless really, about Yarmila's death, but also about life in Cuba. We also get to see the case, and Cuba, from Detective Martinez's point of view. She's in charge of the official investigation, but she's not getting much cooperation from the other people involved. And finally, we have El Padrino, a former police officer turned...
Every time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies is a great title and the setting is fabulous. Bestselling author Eleanor Dash is on a book tour in Italy with several other authors, her ex-lover, and about 20 contest-winning fans. A fictionalized version of the ex-, Connor, is one of the main characters in Eleanor's mystery series, and he has been using that to his advantage for years. Now, however, Connor is convinced someone is trying to kill him. Of course, Eleanor does want him dead, but only the fictional version of course.
This book was fun enough. We've got murder, lies, gorgeous scenery, and even a touch of romance. Eleanor is a good character. She's writing the story that we're hearing. (I listened to the audiobook.) She breaks the fourth on a regular basis, either pointing something out to the reader or reassuring us. She also includes a lot of footnotes, but on the audio, they just blended in to the...
Off the Air features Phoenix television reporter, Jolene Garcia, who is covering the murder of a local conservative radio talk show host. Jolene is always on the lookout for the next big story, so she jumps right into this one, trying to get exclusive interviews, information on the air before any of the competitors, and the best leads. I will say I didn't always like Jolene. She is determined, but totally willing to hurt people along the way, but I could feel her frustration when she had info she couldn't share or when someone "stole" her interview. I'm also a little tired of backstories lately. Jolene was in the foster system for years before being adopted by her grandmother more out of responsibility than love. She was attacked by a dog when she was a child, causing a fear of dogs that of course comes into play. She also made an inaccurate report at her previous job that affects how...
A Rather Dastardly Death is the second of the Mr. Quayle Mysteries and the Lord Unsworth and his family are on vacation in the French Riviera, trying to get some distance from the events of A Quite Deadly Affair. Of course, it's not long until someone is murdered, a woman Lord Unsworth knew decades earlier, and the family gets caught up in another investigation. Mr. Quayle, at Lord Unsworth's request, agrees to assist in solving the mystery and protecting the family's reputation if possible.
This is a fun old-fashioned murder mystery with plenty of suspects and possible motives. The dead woman, Lady Rosaline Barrett De Marchi, Widow of Treville-Sur-Mer, was surrounded by "admirers" and hangers-on, any of whom could have killed her. We also have a side plot regarding a jewel thief who may be in the Riviera and a statuette from Lady Rosaline's collection is missing.
All of the characters are notable, but Quayle is what makes this series work...
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...
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...
