Chief inspector Hannah Scarlett and her cold case team have been sent a
note about the murder of Warren Howe, accusing his wife of being the
culprit. Is there enough evidence to reopen the case? DS Nick Lowther,
who had been in on the initial investigation, feels that the case isn't
worth re-opening.
It is years on and now, quite suddenly, the family of the victim are
getting anonymous hate letters. Thrown into the mix is historian Daniel
Kind, a friend of Scarlett's. Once he learns of the investigation, he
decides to surreptitiously help the chief inspector. Kind is also
trying to organise the garden of the cottage he and his partner,
Miranda, recently purchased. There is a mystery in the garden that the
historian/detective in Daniel would like to solve.
A suicide in the community throws everyone for a loop. Is it tied to
the original murder? As the investigation progresses, DS Lowther throws
a spanner in the works. This isn't the only surprise author Martin
Edwards has in store for the reader before drawing this murder mystery
to a conclusion. A thoroughly good read.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
Masaryk Station
It is now 1948 and John Russell is now employed by the Brits and
Yanks to translate Russian for them in Trieste. Russell is still
employed by both the Soviets and the Yanks as a double agent. Shchepkin
is still his Soviet contact. Effi, Russell's wife and their adopted
daughter, Rosa, are in Berlin where Effi is working on another film and
Rosa is attending school.
In Berlin the Soviets have decided to step up the restrictions on travel for the allies in the western zone. Both have things to do while the western allies set up a new currency plan for western Germany and the allied section of Berlin. It will cause problems as the Soviets establish a blockade of Berlin. What will it mean for the future of the pair and their daughter?
Author David Downing has developed a story that leads wonderfully into the Cold War and all the issues that developed as a result of the issues between the USA and the Soviet Union. Downing's 'Station' series provide fans of spy thrillers excellent reads.
In Berlin the Soviets have decided to step up the restrictions on travel for the allies in the western zone. Both have things to do while the western allies set up a new currency plan for western Germany and the allied section of Berlin. It will cause problems as the Soviets establish a blockade of Berlin. What will it mean for the future of the pair and their daughter?
Author David Downing has developed a story that leads wonderfully into the Cold War and all the issues that developed as a result of the issues between the USA and the Soviet Union. Downing's 'Station' series provide fans of spy thrillers excellent reads.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Death of a Wine Merchant
Lord Francis Powerscourt has been called upon to help with the defense
of a man who is charged with murdering his brother, a wine merchant.
Prior to the reading of the will, Powerscourt learns that apparently
half the victim's fortune seems to have disappeared. Powerscourt
engages his friend Johnny Fitzgerald to help him. In addition,
Powerscourt gets a wine expert to investigate the wines of the victim.
Unfortunately Powerscourt is unable to get the accused to speak. The court case would begin in three weeks. Is that enough time to find the evidence? What about the new concept of fingerprints? Would that help? Powerscourt also learns from a former employee that money was disappearing from the accounts of the firm. He had been fired when he reported it to the late merchant.
Powerscourt and his wife, Lucy, travel to France in order to further his investigation. There he comes across a surprising discovery.
Author David Dickinson provides the reader with a novel full of blackmail, conspiracy, subterfuge and a surprising end. A thoroughly good read.
Unfortunately Powerscourt is unable to get the accused to speak. The court case would begin in three weeks. Is that enough time to find the evidence? What about the new concept of fingerprints? Would that help? Powerscourt also learns from a former employee that money was disappearing from the accounts of the firm. He had been fired when he reported it to the late merchant.
Powerscourt and his wife, Lucy, travel to France in order to further his investigation. There he comes across a surprising discovery.
Author David Dickinson provides the reader with a novel full of blackmail, conspiracy, subterfuge and a surprising end. A thoroughly good read.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
The Pagan Lord
While away from home, castising his son, Uthred's home is attacked by
Cnut Longsword, and his woman, Sigunn, is taken. Cnut demands a
meeting, at which he tells Uthred that men under his banner had raided
into his territory, kidnapping his wife and children. While meeting
with Cnut, his home is once again attacked, and Uthred is forced to
flee.
Uthred decides his only course is to capture Bebbanburg, which is rightfully his, but for many years held by his uncle. Unfortunately he is unable to capture the fortress despite avenging its loss. He takes his cousin's wife and son hostage. But what to do now? His cousin's wife provides him with information that leads Uthred on a new gambit.
Uthred decides to influence future battles, and to do that he needs to draw Cnut from the destructive track the Dane is on. Uthred hopes Edward and Aethelred will join forces the defeat the Danes, thereby saving England.
Author Bernard Cornwell has written an excellent historical thriller. His battle scenes are bar none, and the historical events are well researched. A very good read for fans of historical novels.
Uthred decides his only course is to capture Bebbanburg, which is rightfully his, but for many years held by his uncle. Unfortunately he is unable to capture the fortress despite avenging its loss. He takes his cousin's wife and son hostage. But what to do now? His cousin's wife provides him with information that leads Uthred on a new gambit.
Uthred decides to influence future battles, and to do that he needs to draw Cnut from the destructive track the Dane is on. Uthred hopes Edward and Aethelred will join forces the defeat the Danes, thereby saving England.
Author Bernard Cornwell has written an excellent historical thriller. His battle scenes are bar none, and the historical events are well researched. A very good read for fans of historical novels.
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Midnight at Marble Arch
It is 1896 and Thomas Pitt has recently been appointed head of Britain's
Special Branch. The former head, Lord Narraway, has become involved in
the investigation of a rape and murder of a young socialite.
A short time later while at a party Pitt's wife is amongst a group who sees a young man terrify a young woman so much that she accidentally falls out a two storey window to her death. Charlotte's Aunt Vespasia has a feeling that the two events might be tied together. She sets about a quiet inquiry, and determines in her own mind that the young man who had terrified the dead girl had raped her at an earlier party.
The father of the young girl asks Pitt to investigate his daughter's death. Narraway comes to Pitt for advice on the course he needs to take. Pitt contacts a lawyer and discovers how difficult it is to prosecute a rape case. The woman is humiliated even more. He is also concerned that the perpetrator could repeat his crime. He isn't wrong, because another young woman is raped and murdered shortly afterwards. When a third girl is raped, Pitt has a name confirmed, but there is no evidence to put forward to prosecute. How can he do it?
Author Anne Perry sets a struggle for both Pitt and Narraway, plus the legal team to prove both the innocence of one man and the guilt of another in this Victorian murder mystery. A good, quick read.
A short time later while at a party Pitt's wife is amongst a group who sees a young man terrify a young woman so much that she accidentally falls out a two storey window to her death. Charlotte's Aunt Vespasia has a feeling that the two events might be tied together. She sets about a quiet inquiry, and determines in her own mind that the young man who had terrified the dead girl had raped her at an earlier party.
The father of the young girl asks Pitt to investigate his daughter's death. Narraway comes to Pitt for advice on the course he needs to take. Pitt contacts a lawyer and discovers how difficult it is to prosecute a rape case. The woman is humiliated even more. He is also concerned that the perpetrator could repeat his crime. He isn't wrong, because another young woman is raped and murdered shortly afterwards. When a third girl is raped, Pitt has a name confirmed, but there is no evidence to put forward to prosecute. How can he do it?
Author Anne Perry sets a struggle for both Pitt and Narraway, plus the legal team to prove both the innocence of one man and the guilt of another in this Victorian murder mystery. A good, quick read.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Little Girl Lost
DS Lucy Black has been called out on a snowy night to search for a
little lost girl who was reportedly seen by a milkman. It turns out
that the child she finds is not the one that was reported to be missing.
Who is the missing, but now found child? Her pyjamas have the name
'Alice' on them. Black will have to wait until the sedation given to
the child wears off.
Meantime the police are investigating the disappearance of 16 year old Kate McLaughlin, which Black wants to be involved with. However, she is transferred to the Public Protection Unit, under Inspector Tom Fleming. There, the forensics officer, PC Tony Clarke informs her that the child's pyjamas have blood on them. He also discovers blood on her hands later when they are coated with luminal.
Because of Kate's age, PPU still has a connection to the case. Black is later informed by Clarke that hairs containing DNA of Kate have been discovered on Alice! A public announcement leads to the discovery of who Alice is, but now it appears that her mother is missing. Fortunately Black discovers that the mother was away on holiday, having left her daughter with her estranged husband. When they get to the father's home they find him dead, and evidence that Kate had been held in the house.
Author Brian McGilloway builds up tension in this thriller leading to a surprising conclusion. All-in-all a very good, quick read.
Meantime the police are investigating the disappearance of 16 year old Kate McLaughlin, which Black wants to be involved with. However, she is transferred to the Public Protection Unit, under Inspector Tom Fleming. There, the forensics officer, PC Tony Clarke informs her that the child's pyjamas have blood on them. He also discovers blood on her hands later when they are coated with luminal.
Because of Kate's age, PPU still has a connection to the case. Black is later informed by Clarke that hairs containing DNA of Kate have been discovered on Alice! A public announcement leads to the discovery of who Alice is, but now it appears that her mother is missing. Fortunately Black discovers that the mother was away on holiday, having left her daughter with her estranged husband. When they get to the father's home they find him dead, and evidence that Kate had been held in the house.
Author Brian McGilloway builds up tension in this thriller leading to a surprising conclusion. All-in-all a very good, quick read.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Just One Evil Act
DI Thomas Lynley has been called by his DS Barbara Havers, informing him
that her friend's daughter has been taken his lover, and the mother of
the child. Because there is no legal marriage, there is nothing that
the police can do. Havers sets out to act as her friend's own private
investigator. Unfortunately her superintendent is not having that.
Havers hires a private detective by the name of Dwayne Doughty. Doughty has an unpresuming office. However, unknown to his clients, he operates a very secretive operation.
Havers is shocked a few months later when the mother returns, accusing the father of abducting the child, who had been with her in Italy. Havers knows this is impossible because the mother had all the child's papers. Havers wants to go to Italy to help find the child. Once again, her superintendent refuses. However, when the story of the kidnapping hits the press, Havers gets a bollocking and Lynley is sent to Italy to intervene.
Chief Inspector Salvatore Bianco is in charge of the investigation in Lucca, Italy. He learns, when he questions the parents that she had arranged with her sister for false emails to be sent to their daughter, purportedly from the father. Bianco has a couple of suspects in mind, which he points out to Lynley. He just has to figure out a connection. Lynley and Bianco find out from the mother had another lover in London while living with the father of her daughter.
The child is found safe in Italy, but is that the end of the story?
Author Elizabeth George has provided the reader with a tangled web, full of deception, confusion, subterfuge and a murder thrown in for good measure. This is a read you won't want to put down.
Havers hires a private detective by the name of Dwayne Doughty. Doughty has an unpresuming office. However, unknown to his clients, he operates a very secretive operation.
Havers is shocked a few months later when the mother returns, accusing the father of abducting the child, who had been with her in Italy. Havers knows this is impossible because the mother had all the child's papers. Havers wants to go to Italy to help find the child. Once again, her superintendent refuses. However, when the story of the kidnapping hits the press, Havers gets a bollocking and Lynley is sent to Italy to intervene.
Chief Inspector Salvatore Bianco is in charge of the investigation in Lucca, Italy. He learns, when he questions the parents that she had arranged with her sister for false emails to be sent to their daughter, purportedly from the father. Bianco has a couple of suspects in mind, which he points out to Lynley. He just has to figure out a connection. Lynley and Bianco find out from the mother had another lover in London while living with the father of her daughter.
The child is found safe in Italy, but is that the end of the story?
Author Elizabeth George has provided the reader with a tangled web, full of deception, confusion, subterfuge and a murder thrown in for good measure. This is a read you won't want to put down.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)