Purchased – Page 38 – Carol's Notebook

A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie

February 1, 2021February 18, 2021 by Carol7 Comments

An idyllic village in the English countryside is waking up, its quirky residents about to start their day with their favorite newspaper, where an invitation to murder is waiting for them. "A murder is announced and will take place on Friday, October 29th, at Little Paddocks at 6:30 p.m. Friends please accept this, this only intimation." Little Paddocks is the property owned by Miss Letitia Blacklock, a house she lives in with one of her dearest friends, two young cousins, her gardener and her cook. Miss Blacklock, understanding how her village works, feels compelled to have drinks and snacks set out on the date, even though she has no idea what's going on. On Friday, neighbors simply "stop by casually." What everyone assumes is a party game takes a grim turn when a young man winds up dead. With many and differing accounts of the event, Miss Jane Marple arrives on the scene to assist with the investigation. As Miss Marple...

The Hollow by Agatha Christie

January 21, 2021December 3, 2021 by Carol3 Comments

Dr. John Christow may be a good doctor, but he is also a bullying, narcissistic man. He seems to be in the midst of a mid-life crisis, takes his anxiety out by hectoring his poor dim-witted but adoring wife Gerda. The Christows head off to a weekend at a country home called The Hollow, owned by Lady Lucy Angkatell. Also visiting are John’s new mistress, a sculptor named Henrietta Savernake (who is also a cousin of Lucy’s). And the neighbor is his ex-fiancée, a beautiful but self-centered actress named Veronica Cray who had left her native England — and John — for Hollywood. And then there's another triangle. The bookish Edward Angkatell, another of Lucy’s cousins, harbors a one-sided love of Henrietta. In turn, a poor relation and fellow guest, Midge Hardcastle, secretly pines for Edward, fully aware of his unrequited love for Henrietta. Lots of wishing and wanting. I have to admit my favorite character, aside from Poirot, was...

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz

January 20, 2021December 3, 2021 by Carol5 Comments

Moonflower Murders is the sequel to Magpie Murders, although I think it would work well as a stand alone. Once again we have a book within the book, and the return of publisher/amateur sleuth, Susan Ryeland. After the fallout from the last book, Susan is no longer working in publishing and is instead jointly owning and running a hotel in Crete with her long term Greek boyfriend, Andreas Patakis. A hotel is hard work day in and day out, with never-ending problems, and lots of debt. The truth is that she is missing England and her former profession as an editor. So when Susan is approached by wealthy couple, Lawrence and Pauline Trehearne, to return to England and stay at the exclusive Branlow Hotel in order to look into the disappearance of their daughter, Cecily, it feels like just what she needs to do- and she'll be getting paid. Eight years ago, a hotel guest had been brutally hammered to...

Mistletoe Murder by Leslie Meier

December 30, 2020December 30, 2020 by CarolNo Comments

Mistletoe Murder is the first of the Lucy Stone mysteries, set in the fictional seaside town of Tinker's Cove, Maine. Lucy is mom to three, wife to Bill, and second shift telephone sale rep for the community's biggest employer, Country Cousins. As you can guess from the title, it's Christmastime. While on break one night, Lucy finds her employer, Sam Miller, dead in his car, a murder staged as suicide. But who would want to kill the company's likable boss? Though Lucy is busy with Christmas preparations, she can't resist doing a little investigating of her own. When friendly local policeman, Barney, loses control of his vehicle and ends up in a coma, the stakes rise. What did Barney know that made him a threat to the killer? I like the small town atmosphere. Meier does such a nice job of capturing everyday life, whether that’s working in a call center, everyone in a small town knowing one another, or covering childcare...

A Christmas Party by Georgette Heyer

December 27, 2020December 27, 2020 by Carol4 Comments

A British country house Christmas party may be my favorite setting for a murder. Joseph and his wife, Maud, live at Nathaniel's grand home. Joseph has organized a Christmas party, even though he seems to be the only one in a festive mood. Like any good Christmas party, we've got a ill-matched bunch of relatives, significant others, a family friend, and a business partner. Nathaniel is a difficult and argumentative man, who has fights with just about everyone at the house. When he is killed, there are a plethora of suspects and plenty of motives, mostly revolving around who inherits Nathanial’s fortune. The murder obviously puts a damper on the Christmas celebrations. This was a good read, clever and funny. We've got a locked room mystery that makes for a good puzzle for the investigator. I adored Maud, placid, unruffled, unwilling to play hostess. She just wants to find her missing book. And how can you not enjoy a mystery that...

Murder at an Irish Christmas by Carlene O’Connor

December 18, 2020December 18, 2020 by Carol2 Comments

Murder at an Irish Christmas is the 6th installment in the Irish Village Mystery series, but the first I've read. It worked fine as a stand alone. I felt like I got to know the characters well and was given enough of the backstory but not too much. Siobhán and her family are spening Christmas with the family of James’ fiancé, Elise. Siobhán is a bit apprehensive about her brother’s engagement, but is still looking forward to a peaceful Christmas with all of them together. Of course, that's before the murder is discovered. Elise's grandfather, Enda Elliott, renowned conductor is found dead. His body is on the floor of the old mill, the very place where the village is panning on hosting a Christmas concert that Enda was to conduct. There are suspects galore, although for some reason the local garda is just focussed on one, Theodore Baskins, the village's bad boy. Siobhán thinks there's more to it and Enda's...