Colin Pendragon has been requested by Lady Arnifour to investigate the
bludgeoning of her husband and niece, which has left him dead and her in
a coma. Attending the Arnifour home, and the scene of the crime,
Pendragon finds that he really isn't getting much in the way of
cooperation.
Ethan Pruitt, Pendragon's partner, takes on the case of a young, poor
lad whose sister has gone missing. However, Pruitt is unsure if the lad
is just what he appears to be. Pendragon agrees. He sees some form of
deception in both cases, but is unsure just what they are.
Things change when the niece dies and one of the best suspects
disappears. The pair also finds out that young girls are being smuggled
out of the country. Two families who are fated to twist themselves
into terrible knots in this Victorian murder mystery by Gregory Harris.
A fair, quick read.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
The Amber Treasure
This is the first in a swerve of historical novels by author Richard
Dunning, and is set in the fourth century. The Angles have only been in
Britannia for a short time, and must fight to maintain their foothold.
When Cerdic begins to narrate the story, he is a young lad. He has just become old enough to learn the trade of a warrior. Along with his friends Eduard and Cuthbert he becomes skilled at weaponry. And against the rules, he trains a slave his age, Aedann, in the same skills. It is while training with members of the community that Cerdic learns that he has a half brother, who hates his guts.
Cerdic's youth comes to an end when he is forced to fight to protect his family and land. Enemies from the west have raided, and Cerdic's brother was killed in the action and his sister taken away. Also taken was his mother's prized amber jewelry. Cerdic vows vengeance.
Despite setbacks, the Angles prepare to fight a mighty army that could thrust them into the sea. A great battle ensues northwest of modern day York, which would establish the future of the English.
An excellent historical novel set in an area my own ancestors came from. As I read it, I was imagining the modern day settings of the places named in the novel. Travel now is much faster by car than it was 1 500 years ago when warriors had to walk. A thoroughly enjoyable read that went by too quickly. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series: Child of Loki.
When Cerdic begins to narrate the story, he is a young lad. He has just become old enough to learn the trade of a warrior. Along with his friends Eduard and Cuthbert he becomes skilled at weaponry. And against the rules, he trains a slave his age, Aedann, in the same skills. It is while training with members of the community that Cerdic learns that he has a half brother, who hates his guts.
Cerdic's youth comes to an end when he is forced to fight to protect his family and land. Enemies from the west have raided, and Cerdic's brother was killed in the action and his sister taken away. Also taken was his mother's prized amber jewelry. Cerdic vows vengeance.
Despite setbacks, the Angles prepare to fight a mighty army that could thrust them into the sea. A great battle ensues northwest of modern day York, which would establish the future of the English.
An excellent historical novel set in an area my own ancestors came from. As I read it, I was imagining the modern day settings of the places named in the novel. Travel now is much faster by car than it was 1 500 years ago when warriors had to walk. A thoroughly enjoyable read that went by too quickly. I am looking forward to reading the next in the series: Child of Loki.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Blood Brothers
DS Harry Barnard and DCI Keith Jackson have been called to a building
site in London where a body has been found. It was left there in
anticipation of it being buried under tons of concrete.
Barnard's friend, Kate O'Donnell, is having difficulties getting much opportunity in a man's world, so she is happy when a crime reporter with The Globe offers her the opportunity to take photos on a job he is investigating. Meanwhile, Barnhard has DS Copeland forced on him because the powers that be believe there is corruption amongst the police in Soho. Copeland's task is also to find dirt on Barnhard.
As things progress, Kate gathers some photos which could put Barnhard's career on the line. Witnesses, who are supposed to help Barnhard in another case seem to be disappearing. How is he going to protect himself and keep himself from going down?
Author Patricia Hall has written a fast paced murder mystery of the underworld of London in the sixties. It is a very good, quick read that is hard to put down.
Barnard's friend, Kate O'Donnell, is having difficulties getting much opportunity in a man's world, so she is happy when a crime reporter with The Globe offers her the opportunity to take photos on a job he is investigating. Meanwhile, Barnhard has DS Copeland forced on him because the powers that be believe there is corruption amongst the police in Soho. Copeland's task is also to find dirt on Barnhard.
As things progress, Kate gathers some photos which could put Barnhard's career on the line. Witnesses, who are supposed to help Barnhard in another case seem to be disappearing. How is he going to protect himself and keep himself from going down?
Author Patricia Hall has written a fast paced murder mystery of the underworld of London in the sixties. It is a very good, quick read that is hard to put down.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
A Grave in the Cotswolds
Drew Slocombe has just buried a woman in a field according to her
wishes. The following day he is accosted by a member of the local
council saying that he had no right to do the burial there. When later
in the day, the councillor is found dead, Slocombe becomes a prime
suspect.
Slocombe is shocked to learn that the aforementioned woman had left him her house, on the condition that he live in it and turn the property she was buried in, into a natural graveyard. It is enough for the police to charge him with the murder of the councillor. On top of that, the wife of the victim is talking about him back in the community where the murder occurred.
Thea Osbourne, who was house sitting for woman, becomes entangled in the story and through her connections with the police helps to untangle this murder mystery. Author Rebecca Tope has provided the reader with a quick read, and a surprising murderer that isn't revealed until almost the last page.
Slocombe is shocked to learn that the aforementioned woman had left him her house, on the condition that he live in it and turn the property she was buried in, into a natural graveyard. It is enough for the police to charge him with the murder of the councillor. On top of that, the wife of the victim is talking about him back in the community where the murder occurred.
Thea Osbourne, who was house sitting for woman, becomes entangled in the story and through her connections with the police helps to untangle this murder mystery. Author Rebecca Tope has provided the reader with a quick read, and a surprising murderer that isn't revealed until almost the last page.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Death's Door
DI Peter Shaw and DS George Valentine are investigating an apparent
suicide. The husband has been notified, but the daughter is missing.
However, they also have an 18 year old cold case also just placed on
their plate. They are surprised to find that the suicide victim has a
connection to the cold case.
The pathologist finds the remains of a cyanide capsule in the victim's mouth. Was it really suicide or had she been forced to take it? Further details suggest that she was forced to bite down on the cyanide capsule.
Could DNA evidence point out the culprit in the cold case? Yet, none of the samples match. Shaw is left wondering what his next step is going to be. His thoughts change when the victim of an apparent gas explosion in his house is found to have cyanide in his system.
Author Jim Kelly establishes links for his detectives to follow, but shortly afterwards breaks those links, creating a great puzzle. In doing so, he has created a true puzzle for the reader, leaving the truth to the last pages of this murder mystery. A very good read, difficult to put down.
The pathologist finds the remains of a cyanide capsule in the victim's mouth. Was it really suicide or had she been forced to take it? Further details suggest that she was forced to bite down on the cyanide capsule.
Could DNA evidence point out the culprit in the cold case? Yet, none of the samples match. Shaw is left wondering what his next step is going to be. His thoughts change when the victim of an apparent gas explosion in his house is found to have cyanide in his system.
Author Jim Kelly establishes links for his detectives to follow, but shortly afterwards breaks those links, creating a great puzzle. In doing so, he has created a true puzzle for the reader, leaving the truth to the last pages of this murder mystery. A very good read, difficult to put down.
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Death's Dark Shadow
DCI Monika Paniatowski has decided to take advantage of a November
school break and some vacation time owed to her to take her adopted
daughter Louisa to Spain to meet her Spanish family. It also gives her
the opportunity to visit her mentor, Charlie Woodend. Unfortunately as
soon as she is back, she is called in to work because a body of an
elderly woman has been found in the canal.
Louisa, after seeing a picture of the victim is sure the victim is a woman she had met at her Spanish family's home. When Monika contacts Spanish authorities, she meets a roadblock because Franco has just died, and Spain is in a bit of a turmoil. Not getting any help from the Spanish authorities, she turns to Charlie.
Woodend enlists his friend, Paco Ruiz, also a retired policeman, to help investigate the victim. What they discover points back to England. As a result, what Monika learns, in turn points towards Spain. However, a murder in Monika's town seems to tie the two together. The new victim is the husband of the woman in the canal.
As usual, author Sally Spencer has a few twists up her sleeve before the real killer is found. Another good, quick read by this prolific author.
Louisa, after seeing a picture of the victim is sure the victim is a woman she had met at her Spanish family's home. When Monika contacts Spanish authorities, she meets a roadblock because Franco has just died, and Spain is in a bit of a turmoil. Not getting any help from the Spanish authorities, she turns to Charlie.
Woodend enlists his friend, Paco Ruiz, also a retired policeman, to help investigate the victim. What they discover points back to England. As a result, what Monika learns, in turn points towards Spain. However, a murder in Monika's town seems to tie the two together. The new victim is the husband of the woman in the canal.
As usual, author Sally Spencer has a few twists up her sleeve before the real killer is found. Another good, quick read by this prolific author.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
A Ticket to Oblivion
Inspector Robert Colbeck and DS Leeming have been assigned the task of
finding a young woman and her maid who have disappeared while on a train
between her home and Oxford. The young woman is the daughter of a
cabinet minister.
After meeting the unfortunate young woman's father, and finding out that she is betrothed, Colbeck is of the opinion that the two young women disguised themselves on the train and made an escape in Oxford. However, when Colbeck and Leeming return to Scotland Yard they find out that a ransom note has been delivered to the father of the young woman.
When the ransom is about to be paid, the fiancé murders the man who is there to pick up the money. Unfortunately he is a simple go between. A second ransom comes later, demanding twice the sum.
There is more crime to come as author Edward Marston takes us through this tangled Victorian crime novel. A very good read, that goes by surprisingly quickly because the reader is so engrossed in it.
After meeting the unfortunate young woman's father, and finding out that she is betrothed, Colbeck is of the opinion that the two young women disguised themselves on the train and made an escape in Oxford. However, when Colbeck and Leeming return to Scotland Yard they find out that a ransom note has been delivered to the father of the young woman.
When the ransom is about to be paid, the fiancé murders the man who is there to pick up the money. Unfortunately he is a simple go between. A second ransom comes later, demanding twice the sum.
There is more crime to come as author Edward Marston takes us through this tangled Victorian crime novel. A very good read, that goes by surprisingly quickly because the reader is so engrossed in it.
Friday, February 13, 2015
The Purity of Vengeance
Inspector Carl Morck has been handed a folder about the death of his
uncle. Another copper is indicating to him that Carl's cousin has been
talking while in a bar in Thailand, and saying that he and Carl were
responsible for the death of his uncle.
Also on the plate of Department Q is 25 year old file of a Madame who went missing. Rose has checked into the missing person's obsession with Madonna, and discovered that when she went missing, Madonna was playing in Florence, Italy. Could that be where she went? Assad reports to Carl that there are a few more missing persons at the same time. Are they connected?
Rose and Assad begin to connect the dots. But shortly after this, an attempt is made on Carl's life. Are they getting too close? The following day another attempt is made on the lives of both Carl and Assad.
Once again author Jussi Adler-Olsen has created an intense and thrilling murder mystery. This is a book that the reader will not want to put down.
Also on the plate of Department Q is 25 year old file of a Madame who went missing. Rose has checked into the missing person's obsession with Madonna, and discovered that when she went missing, Madonna was playing in Florence, Italy. Could that be where she went? Assad reports to Carl that there are a few more missing persons at the same time. Are they connected?
Rose and Assad begin to connect the dots. But shortly after this, an attempt is made on Carl's life. Are they getting too close? The following day another attempt is made on the lives of both Carl and Assad.
Once again author Jussi Adler-Olsen has created an intense and thrilling murder mystery. This is a book that the reader will not want to put down.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
The Good Suicides
Inspector Hector Salgado has been called out to a metro station in
Barcelona byAgent Roger Fort at 2:00 a. m. to investigate an apparent
suicide. Salgado is not impressed until Fort shows him the victim's
cell phone which contains a single text message with a photo.
Meantime a pregnant Agent Leire Castro is bored with her maternity leave, so she requests permission to help with the investigation into Salgado's missing wife. She studies the case file and makes preliminary notes.
Fort has discovered a picture at the victim's flat, and it shows a fellow employee who had killed his wife and daughter and then committed suicide. He and Salgado wonder if the two suicides are connected. The picture is of a group of eight employees from a firm on a retreat. It comes into play once again when a third member of the group dies ten days later of an apparent suicide. Salgado is sure that the remaining members of the group are hiding something.
Salgado slowly puts together things that will help him solve these apparent suicides in Antonio Hill's second novel. However, will Castro be able to solve the mystery of Salgado's missing wife before the birth of her child? A thoroughly good read.
Meantime a pregnant Agent Leire Castro is bored with her maternity leave, so she requests permission to help with the investigation into Salgado's missing wife. She studies the case file and makes preliminary notes.
Fort has discovered a picture at the victim's flat, and it shows a fellow employee who had killed his wife and daughter and then committed suicide. He and Salgado wonder if the two suicides are connected. The picture is of a group of eight employees from a firm on a retreat. It comes into play once again when a third member of the group dies ten days later of an apparent suicide. Salgado is sure that the remaining members of the group are hiding something.
Salgado slowly puts together things that will help him solve these apparent suicides in Antonio Hill's second novel. However, will Castro be able to solve the mystery of Salgado's missing wife before the birth of her child? A thoroughly good read.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
The Painted Lady
Christopher Redmayne has been caught up in tragic circumstances. He has
designed a house for a French portrait artist, who has unfortunately
been accused of killing the husband of a young woman he has recently
been painting. Redmayne is convinced of the innocence of the painter,
and he requests the help of his good friend Constable Jonathan Bale.
Four men, including Christopher's brother, Henry, have been infatuated with the newly widowed woman. When her partially completed portrait is stolen, Christopher is sure his brother is the culprit. However, he must also consider the other three men in Henry's group. Jonathan is convinced that the thief is also not the murderer, but how will they prove their assertions and save the painter from Newgate?
With four potential suspects, and an uncooperative suspect in jail, Redmayne and Bale have their hands full trying to solve this murder. Once again, Edward Marston has written an intriguing murder mystery. A good, quick read.
Four men, including Christopher's brother, Henry, have been infatuated with the newly widowed woman. When her partially completed portrait is stolen, Christopher is sure his brother is the culprit. However, he must also consider the other three men in Henry's group. Jonathan is convinced that the thief is also not the murderer, but how will they prove their assertions and save the painter from Newgate?
With four potential suspects, and an uncooperative suspect in jail, Redmayne and Bale have their hands full trying to solve this murder. Once again, Edward Marston has written an intriguing murder mystery. A good, quick read.
Friday, February 6, 2015
A Walk With the Dead
It is 1974 and DCI Monika Paniatowski has a missing persons case on her
hands. A thirteen year old girl has gone missing after leaving a
wedding party early. She and her team are prepared for a negative
result in finding the girl. It is the evening afterwards that the body
is discovered. It appears that the girl has been strangled.
Meantime Chief Constable George Baxter is at a prison investigating the death of a prisoner who has committed suicide. The victim was in for sexual assault on a child. However, when he finds out that Monika has been assigned the case he feels it isn't right for her, because her own daughter had gone missing only s couple of months earlier. He gives her 72 hours to solve the case, or he would be handing it on to another DCI.
Paniatowski gets her man, or does she? That same evening there is another murder in the same place. Obviously the team has to rework their investigation. It is only through a new fangled invention in the Woolworth's store that they discover the murderer. Author Sally Spencer has once again provided the reader with an intriguing murder mystery. A good, quick read.
Meantime Chief Constable George Baxter is at a prison investigating the death of a prisoner who has committed suicide. The victim was in for sexual assault on a child. However, when he finds out that Monika has been assigned the case he feels it isn't right for her, because her own daughter had gone missing only s couple of months earlier. He gives her 72 hours to solve the case, or he would be handing it on to another DCI.
Paniatowski gets her man, or does she? That same evening there is another murder in the same place. Obviously the team has to rework their investigation. It is only through a new fangled invention in the Woolworth's store that they discover the murderer. Author Sally Spencer has once again provided the reader with an intriguing murder mystery. A good, quick read.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Last Will
Reporter Annika Bengtzon was at City Hall when one person is
assassinated and several others shot in the midst of a Nobel awards
crowd. She is frustrated because the senior investigator has told her
that if she publishes anything she will be arrested.
Bengtzon decides to investigate the woman who was killed and the scientist who was critically injured. What was the reason behind their shooting? Due to the inability to publish what Bengtzon knows, the editor-in-chief decides to put her on indefinite leave. As much as she may be on leave, that isn't going to stop her continuing with her investigation.
Back at the paper, Bengtzon decides to do some research into the scientific community. Unbeknownst to her, the killer has found out that she was the one who identified the killer. Six months after the first murder another important person dies in suspicious circumstances.
Author Liza Marklund builds the suspense in this novel to extremes, and then finishes with a sudden and shocking conclusion. A thoroughly good read.
Bengtzon decides to investigate the woman who was killed and the scientist who was critically injured. What was the reason behind their shooting? Due to the inability to publish what Bengtzon knows, the editor-in-chief decides to put her on indefinite leave. As much as she may be on leave, that isn't going to stop her continuing with her investigation.
Back at the paper, Bengtzon decides to do some research into the scientific community. Unbeknownst to her, the killer has found out that she was the one who identified the killer. Six months after the first murder another important person dies in suspicious circumstances.
Author Liza Marklund builds the suspense in this novel to extremes, and then finishes with a sudden and shocking conclusion. A thoroughly good read.
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