Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

Flop Dead Gorgeous by David Rosenfelt

by CarolNo Comments
I have to admit that the reason I listen to the Andy Carpenter series is that Grover Gardner narrates them. He has such a distinctive voice and it works so well with Andy's sarcasm and humor. I've never read on of the series in print, and I have no desire to stray from the audio versions. This time around Andy is defending hometown girl turned Hollywood star, Jenny Nichols. And of course, Jenny has a dog, Mamie, who she adopted through Andy's rescue program. She is accused of killing her former boyfriend, current co-star, Ryan Griffin. Andy, of course, wants to get a "not guilty" verdict but the evidence is not in their favor. So he and his team get to work on trying to figure out who really killed Ryan and why. They uncover a lot in their digging including money laundering, organized crime, Interpol's most wanted, cybercrime, drug trafficking, and murders. Even with all the complications, I did manage to...
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The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman

The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman

by Carol1 Comment
The Last Drop of Hemlock is set in New York City in the 1920s. This is the second in the series and, while it does work as a stand-alone, I think you get a much better feeling for the characters if you read them in order. Vivian and her sister, Florence, are poor, but better off than they used to be. The setting, from their tenement building to the club where Viv works to the street's cities, felt real. I loved the details - the smells, the sights, the people. The mystery was well done. In a city where everyone works by their own moral standards, some of which are more gray than others, there are plenty of suspects in the murder. And Vivian's reasons for looking into the death make sense- they can't trust the cops. She has to call in a favor or two and puts herself in a couple of dangerous positions, but it all feels in character....
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The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead

The Murder Wheel by Tom Mead

by Carol6 Comments
I love the combo of magicians and murder. Add in the Golden Age feel and Mead's Joseph Spector novels have me hooked. This time around, Edmund Ibbs is a rather new solicitor helping represent Carla Dean who is accused of killing her husband at the top of a Ferris Wheel. Ibbs, an aspiring magician, takes a break from work to attend a performance of the Great Paolini. A second dead man is revealed during one of the tricks, a man slightly connected to the Dean murder. Luckily, Joseph Spector, retired magician and sometimes Scotland Yard consultant, is also in the audience. What follows is a high-stakes investigation by Spector and Ibbs. The characters are well-written and believable. There are several potential suspects and a big baddie who may or may not be involved. As in any good mystery involving magic, there are plenty of misdirections and distractions. We've got essentially two locked-room mysteries here and while the author plays fair...
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Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien

Misfortune Cookie by Vivien Chien

by Carol2 Comments
Lana and her sister Anna May are visiting their Aunt Grace while attending a food expo. While visiting, they become involved in another murder investigation. The dead woman was their aunt's best friend, and Lana is determined to find the truth, especially if she thinks her aunt is in danger of being a suspect or the next victim. On the one hand, it was nice to see Lana get away from Cleveland. Too many people were dying around Asia Village. It was also nice to have Anna May and Aunt Grace helping Lana out. Anna May and Lana don't always get along well and it was nice to see them at least trying to work together. And Lana is her usual curious, funny, sarcastic self. On the other hand, I prefer Lana at home. I like her surrounded by her friends and family. I miss her sidekick, Megan, and her dog. The mystery was fine, with several suspects, good clues, and a...
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The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne

The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne

by CarolNo Comments
The Antiquity Affair is a fun book. It's got history, action, suspense, family drama, and a bit of romance. Our main characters, sisters Lila and Tess, are wrapped up in a race for the Serpent’s Crown, a powerful legendary relic. They have friends and family on their side but of course, there's an evil brotherhood that also wants the crown so they can control Egypt and then, presumably, the world. I liked Lila and Tess and how they come to understand each other better throughout the book and work on repairing their relationship. Each of the women is capable in her own way and their skills play off each other's well. I listened to the audiobook and having two narrators, one for each of the women, worked out well. I do wish their voices had been a little more different. The book touches on women's place in society and the questionable ethics of removing historical artifacts from their countries of...
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A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales

A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales

by Carol2 Comments
I didn't realize from the synopsis just how "funny" A Most Agreeable Murder was attempting to be. Comedy can be a tough sell for me - the joke around our house is that I don't have a sense of humor. Which is not true, by the way. This book is trying so hard to be funny, but, especially at the beginning, it strays over the line into silly and annoying. After the murder occurs and Beatrice and Inspector Drake have to work together to solve the killing, it improves. There are a lot of over-the-top twists and turns and several one-dimensional characters, but I found myself enjoying it. I wondered what was going to happen next and who was going to be accused next. It turned out to be a fun, light-hearted read that was different enough to stand out in the sea of historical cozies. There was also maybe a werewolf....
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