Mystery

YA Review: “Beautiful Lies” by Jessica Warman (releasing 8/7/12)

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Tomorrow “Beautiful Lies” comes out. I got this book as an ARC through Net Galley a few months ago. It is thrilling YA fare: identical twin sisters Alice and Rachel share everything (or do they??). When one twin goes missing, some think she’s run away, but her sister believes she’s in trouble, and she has the physical manifestations to prove it. This supernatural, creepy, at times disturbing and confusing book kept me guessing (and reading) to the last page.

I love a good YA read, and this was no exception. However (and this is a SPOILER ALERT), I was confused at times. The twins are switching identities, yet people are calling them by their other twin’s name, but not all people are; and then there is the whole what is real and what is imaginary and what are ghosts theme that was profoundly confusing at times. It’s the kind of book that I like to read twice so that I can go back and pick up clues the second time through.

All in all, a page-turner that I enjoyed!

And thanks, Net Galley and Walker Children’s Books, for my copy to review!

Review of the latest ‘Her Royal Spyness’ Cozy: “Naughty in Nice” by Rhys Bowen

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Last month while at the library I noticed a new release of the latest Royal Spyness mystery: Naughty in Nice. If you read me, you know I love this cozy series, centering on the likable but less-than-perfect Georgie (related to royalty) in 1930’s England. This time around, the Queen herself has sent Georgie on a mission to retrieve a “borrowed” snuff-box, and Georgie is sent to Nice, France – winter playground of the wealthy. Before Georgie can get the box back, her neighbor is murdered; and after floundering her way through a fashion show of Coco Chanel’s line, the priceless necklace Georgie is wearing is stolen. Now she must find two items and solve a murder!

Love this series!

Quick Review: The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith

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I received the new No. 1 Ladies book for Mothers’ Day (and I’m seriously delinquent in posting about it!). This thirteenth addition to the series is just as enjoyable as its predecessors. This time Fanwell, the apprentice, is in trouble and Precious is determined to help him;  Grace and Phuti are building a house, which has issues of its own; and Mma Potokwane has been mysteriously dismissed from her position at the orphanage. In addition, the very illustrious Clovis Andersen shows up and helps Precious and Grace with their work.

I enjoyed this novel from start to finish!

Review of the latest Gaslight Mystery – “Murder on Fifth Avenue” by Victoria Thompson

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I love, love, love this historical cozy mystery series, set in New York at the turn of the century. Sarah Brandt, midwife and daughter of a wealthy family, pairs with Irish cop Frank Malloy to solve murders and mysteries in the city. Thompson pays great attention to historical details and her books are really a delight to read.

In this installment (apparently number 14 in the series – I’ve read them all but lost track), Sarah’s father, the rather pompous Felix Decker, has called upon Malloy and Sarah to investigate the mysterious death of a friend from his club. It appeared that victim had been stabbed by a small sharp object, didn’t realize he had a mortal wound, and was going about his business until he died in his chair. The victim, Chilton Devries, was a wealthy businessman but truly a horrible and abusive man, and there are no shortage of suspects. Sarah and Frank must work together to figure out who had the means and motive, and then bring the killer to justice (even though most folks were relieved by Devries’ death).

I love this series, and while I loved this installment, I felt it took a good fifty pages to “get going”. There was a lot of time devoted to Mr. Decker asking Frank, and Sarah, and even Sarah’s mother to help out, and then the subsequent conversations between the aforementioned individuals. I also missed the “personal” piece that often figures in this book: Sarah and her daughter, Sarah and Maeve, and – most importantly – Sarah and Frank! I also didn’t like that near the end, the murder weapon was revealed to be a different murder weapon than previously thought. However, all in all, it was another enjoyable read in the series!

I got mine at the library.

Review of the latest Molly Murphy mystery: “Hush Now, Don’t You Cry” by Rhys Bowen

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If you read me, you know I read all the Molly Murphy and Her Royal Spyness cozy mysteries from Rhys Bowen. I was excited to see on the new release shelf at the library the latest Molly Murphy story. This time Molly and Daniel are married and on their delayed honeymoon, visiting at a mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. They’ve hardly arrived when their guest, whom they haven’t seen yet, is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Their host is lying where his young granddaughter was also found dead four years earlier. Daniel then becomes deathly ill with pneumonia and Molly is left to unravel the mystery, which includes all sort of twists, subplots, and suspects.

I always enjoy a Molly Murphy historical mystery, and I especially liked the setting for this one: beautiful Newport. Did I guess the murderer? Yes. Did I guess a motive. Yes, once I guessed the murderer. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. I have to say, though, that I still find the character of Daniel irritating. He’s so focused on Molly as “the little woman” that one must wonder if their marriage will last (and if it does, will this series?). He always seems a little out in left field to me in regards to the mysteries, too. If I was writing this series, I just might kill him off.

Anyhow, if you like these stories, I think you’ll enjoy the latest!

Quick Review: The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark

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On a recent trip to Target, I noticed that Mary Higgins Clark had a new book out that had escaped my attention. It wasn’t very lengthy, so I grabbed it on sale.

“The Lost Years” deals with an ancient letter, supposedly written by Jesus Christ to Joseph of Arimathea, that was hidden away centuries ago by a monk and surfaces in the possession of a professor who then promptly gets murdered. His wife, who has Alzheimer’s, is a witness to the crime. His daughter Mariah – who has been a bit estranged from him since he has openly been having an affair with a colleague – is determined to figure out where the parchment is and who the murderer is. There is no paucity of suspects: her father’s four closest friends and colleagues, along with his mistress, are the prime ones. Additionally there is a thief who, while robbing the house next door, conveniently gets a good look at someone running from the house the night of the murder. There’s also a family friend who is a priest. And good old Alvirah and Willy are there to help solve the mystery.

Bottom line: it’s a quick beach read and fun and easy. Is it “classic MHC”? I’d say no. I miss the thrilling novels of the past – the ones that kept me up at night reading. In fact, MHC’s first novel “Where Are the Children?” might just be her best, in my opinion. I’ve been a bit disappointed in Mary’s work as of late. However, considering she has written over 30 books, I’ll cut her some slack. 🙂 Also – just me – as a Catholic, the whole “his wife has Alzheimer’s so he’s having an affair and as soon as she’s in a nursing home he’ll divorce her and marry that younger gal” plotline bothered me. Mary’s characters, more often than not, are Catholic. And this family actively attends church in the book and has a parish priest as a friend. It just seemed kind of unsettling that this guy brought his paramour home for dinners at his house with his wife and friends. But anyways…

If you’ve read this book, let me know what you think. And if you’ve read all of MHC’s books, like I have, tell me if you think it’s up to her old standards.

Review: She Can Run by Melinda Leigh

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         For my beach reading, I downloaded (on Amazon Prime’s read-for-free) “She Can Run”. (Just a note- it looks like this book is currently $1.99 on Kindle). This novel is a thriller of romantic suspense, telling the story of Beth Baker and her two young children as she is running and hiding from her pretty much insane congressman husband (another note- she is formerly widowed and the children are from her first happy marriage). Beth comes to work on a friend of her uncle’s horse farm; however, the friend has died unexpectedly and the farm is now the property of his attractive, young nephew, Jack (who is on leave from the police force after an injury). What follows is a lot of suspense and romance as Beth tries to get her life together and stay alive while her estranged husband seeks her out and a serial killer takes an interest in her.

     I enjoyed this light read and found it perfect beach reading in Hawaii! I always like a character that shares my name, though the book’s Beth was far more svelte/attractive/in danger than I am! 🙂

    

Quick Review: Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie

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Coming out this week, I received this book, the first of the “Grantchester Mysteries” from Net Galley. I just loved the character of Sidney Chambers, a man of the cloth who lives simply yet solves murder and mysteries in his small English town in the 1950’s. These are cozy-type mysteries, similar to Agatha Christie tales, but they are short and there are several different vignettes in this book. I really enjoyed reading them and loved the character of Sidney: attractive and young, yet a bit set in his bachelor ways. There is certainly a lot of directions that this series could take, and I look forward to reading more of it!

Thank you Net Galley and Bloomsbury USA for my copy!

Quick Review: The Mozart Conspiracy by Scott Mariani

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I grabbed this novel off the “new releases in large print” shelf at the library, and I’m so glad I did!

“The Mozart Conspiracy” centers on Ben Hope, former British Special Agent, as he helps his old flame, Leigh Llewellyn, to solve the mysterious murder of her brother. A pianist, Oliver had been working on a book about Mozart and his untimely death at the time of his own death. Oliver’s theory focused on a splinter group of Freemasons who may have killed Mozart to keep their secrets – well – secret. Leigh and Ben cover several countries, working to solve the mystery of the Mozart Letter, the Mozart Conspiracy, and Mozart’s – and Oliver’s – death; all the while they are running for their lives!

I just loved this book which reminded me of “The DaVinci Code”. The characters were interesting. The plot was complex but not too intricate. The action was fast-paced. The violence was not overwhelming. I have read that it is also the start of a series – which would explain the somewhat puzzling end (puzzling as in “why would an author end it this way??). I would recommend it to those who like Dan Brown, though there is not a focus on puzzles/ciphers. I did think there’s be more historical information on Mozart, but it’s pretty focused on the present day.

Have you read it? Let me know!

Review: I am Half-Sick of Shadows by Alan Bradley

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Love, love, love.

I just love the character of young chemistry wiz Flavia deLuce in this series of books by Alan Bradley. I know they are often billed as YA, but I think they are fine for adults. If you follow me, you know I just adored “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” and while I continued to love the characters and writing in the next two books, I was disappointed in the plot lines.

This time, however, I was thrilled. In this installment, it is Christmas time, and Flavia is determined to “trap” Father Christmas up on the roof to prove his existence to her two unfeeling and scornful sisters. Meanwhile, her father has rented their home estate to be used for a movie featuring a famous actress. In all the excitement of filming and house guests, along with Christmas and snowstorms, a murder occurs, and Flavia is determined to figure out who the murderer is (while they are all snowed in!).

If you’ve read the other books, or even if you haven’t, I highly recommend this one!

(and thanks to Father Christmas who brought me mine!)