Library – Carol's Notebook

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran

September 2, 2026September 2, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead is not my typical mystery read. The problem is simple enough. Her client, Leon, wants her to find his Uncle Vic, an assistant district attorney who disappeared during Hurricane Katrina. But Claire is not a conventional detective, Vic was not always a nice guy, and New Orleans is suffering from post-traumatic-stress disorder. Claire follows Jacques Silette and his manual, Détection. It's about recognizing clues not finding them, about allowing connections to reveal themselves. Claire is guided by the typical interviews and clues, but also visions, dreams, and drug-induced states. It's slower moving for a mystery and we get bits and pieces of her background and what brought her to where she is now, both mentally and physically. New Orleans is a character in and of itself. Katrina has devastated the city and recovery is slow. It's a dark violent place for the people Claire interacts with, but it's also where they belong. It's engrossing...

By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

September 1, 2026September 1, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

Tommy and Tuppence are well into middle age here, but still have a wonderful relationship. Tommy’s crotchety old aunt dies, but before she does Tuppence meets another woman at the same nursing home who says a few mysterious things that unnerve her. When the lady goes missing, Tuppence sets off to find her, ostensibly to return a painting. The mystery is a bit convoluted but enjoyable and wraps everything up in the end well. I love that Tuppence is still willing to go on an adventure and that Tommy supports her. I may have to give in soon and get BritBox so I can watch the new Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence series....

The Rose and the Yew Tree by Mary Westmacott

August 4, 2026August 4, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

I don't know who told me that Mary Westmacott was the name Agatha Christie wrote her romances under, but I wish they hadn't. Granted, The Rose and the Yew Tree isn't a mystery, even if we do get a murder, but it isn't a stereotypical romance either. Most of the story takes place in a small town in Southern England during the run up to the General Election of 1945. Christie does a great job of developing the characters and commenting on the politics of the era. Our narrator, who doesn't even get a mention in the blurb, is Hugh Norreys, a World War II veteran who was invalided due to a car accident. He has moved in with his brother and sister-in-law and is mostly feeling sorry for himself until he is distracted by his lovely neighbor, Isabella Charteris, and war hero turned politician, John Gabriel. Hughes status as an invalid stuck in a chair means others have a...

Cruising Through Midlife by Addison Moore

June 29, 2026June 29, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

Trixie is on her 25-anniversary cruise to Hawaii alone because her husband is a cheating jerk. And I do have to say she moved on well. She's determined to have fun and not fall for any of his pleading or mean jabs. She seems to take everything in stride and with a smile, even when she finds a dead body in her luggage and a ghost turns up to help her solve the mystery. It's a fun, lighthearted mystery with plenty of romance. Trixie has two potential love interests, both crew. I'm not a fan of love triangles and I did kind of want her to just pick one, but it's only an 18-night cruise, and she'll never see either of them again, so what's the harm? And I might have peeked at some of the later blurbs in the series, so I'm willing to let it slide for now. It's a fun book. I enjoyed Trixie and her new friends. It's...

The Circular Staircase by Mary Roberts Rinehart

June 9, 2026June 9, 2026 by Carol2 Comments

A couple of weekends ago we went to the Pittsburgh Book Fest, which was so much fun! One of the events I signed us up for was a presentation about Mary Roberts Rinehart, who was born and raised in Allegheny City, which eventually was annexed by Pittsburgh, and then built a house in Sewickley following the success of The Circular Staircase. She led a fascinating life, if you ever get the chance to read about her. Pitt actually holds the archives of her papers. So, I listened to The Circular Staircase in preparation. I've read it before but didn't actually remember any of it. Rachel Innes is a wealthy woman who has been the guardian of her niece and nephew for a long time. They are both young adults now and the three of them have decided to rent a place for the summer, and taken Rachel's maid with them. The mansion, belonging to a banker and his family who...

Crime Rangoon by Vivien Chien

April 21, 2026April 21, 2026 by CarolNo Comments

I might be getting a little tired of this series. This time around Lana's favorite author is killed at an event at Asia Village’s bookshop, The Modern Scroll. Surprise, surprise, her boyfriend, Detective Adam Trudeau, actually asks for her help this time. I like Lana and her roommate, Megan, but am annoyed by how mean they are to Kimmy, who seems like a decent, if annoying person. They want her help when they need it but otherwise leave her out whenever possible. There was too much of Adam in this one, and he really doesn't seem like the type to break some of the rules he does. The murderer is pretty obvious, not matter how many dead ends Lana complains about, even if the motive isn't. One of the red herrings just kind of fizzled out, which was a little disappointing. The most annoying thing, though, was how many times certain phrases were repeated. More people blew raspberries and flared...