Thin Air

A woman from London has disappeared on the island of Unst after a hamefarin'.  Detective Jimmy Perez and his sergeant Sandy Wilson set off to investigate.  When the pair arrive in Unst, a friend of the missing woman tells them that she has received an email from her stating that to not bother looking for her because she won't be alive!  Sadly this proves to be the case.

Jimmy puts in a call to Chief Inspector Willow Reeves asking her to join him.  Pathologist James Grieve and crime scene manager Vicki Hewitt join the team.  However it isn't long before Willow suggests that Jimmy travel to London to continue that aspect of the investigation.

A few days later, after Jimmy has returned from London, one of the owners of the guest house they are staying in is found dead on the nearby beach.  Jimmy is sure that the death is connected to the woman's death.  But how can they prove it?

The case seems to begin to unravel towards the end of Ann Cleeves' murder mystery, but fog and a lost woman help Perez solve it.  A very good read.

Rules of Engagement

The Lord Chief Justice has just informed Sir John Fielding that Lord Lammermoor jumped off Westminster Bridge last night for no known reason.  Later that day, Annie Oakum, a former employee of Fielding tells his assistant, Jeremy Proctor, that she was with Lammermoor when he jumped off the bridge.  Fielding sends Jeremy to attend the coroner's inquest.  Dr. Donnelly is not impressed with how the judge handled the inquest.  He states that there are other causes that could have led to the Lord jumping off the bridge than stated.

The following night, Dr. Donnelly takes the group to a demonstration of the teachings of Dr. Mesmer.  Fielding asks the demonstrator if such work could be used for criminal endeavours.  He says no and then proceeds to use Jeremy's fiancé, Clarissa to prove his point.

Based on their investigation, Fielding is sure that this is a case of murder.  He goes to the Chief Lord Justice to set the "rules of engagement".  Fielding continues his investigation by questioning the son and wife of the deceased.  He has also come to the conclusion that the deceased was under "animal magnetism" when he jumped from the bridge.   Fielding is also sure that the death of a potential witness helps the case.

However, how will he and Jeremy gather all the evidence to prove the case?  Author Bruce Alexander's murder mystery is intense and riveting.  Sadly Alexander was unable to finish it due to his death.  His wife and John Shannon wrote the final chapters in collaboration based on the notes he had left behind.  A good read.

The Mapping of Love and Death

Maisie Dobbs has been asked to find a woman who had corresponded with their son during the Great War.  Unfortunately their son died in the war.  While reading the post-mortem report on the son, Maisie comes to the conclusion that he had been murdered, rather than killed by a shell.  The night following the parents' request for Maisie's help, they are attacked in their hotel room and left for dead.

Maisie arranges to meet the so-in-law of the injured couple.  Her assistant, Billy Beale can tell that she is unsure of the man.  Moments after the meeting, Maisie is knocked to the ground and her document case is stolen.  Fortunately it didn't contain anything related to the case.

Later, when the victims' son arrives, Maisie points out to him that she feels that there is a connection between his brother's death and the attack on their parents.  Now it is up to her to solve the mysteries.

Author Jacqueline Winspear's murder mystery spans decades, that requires her and Billy's best mapping skills.  It is a story filled with both joy and sadness.  A good read.

The Kommandant's Girl

Nineteen year old Emma Bau had only been married a short time when the Germans invaded Poland.  Her new husband, Jacob tells her that he must leave her, and that she is to return to her parents.  However, she soon discovers that they have been taken to the Krakow ghetto.  She decides to join them.  It isn't long before she is very aware of the harshness of Nazi rule.

Jacob arranges Emma's escape from the ghetto to his aunt' Krysia's home in the country.  Krysia is a devout Catholic.  There Emma takes on a new persona as a gentile.  In addition to her new life, a young boy would be added as her brother.  He was the son of a rabbi.  Some time after learning her new persona, Emma is surprised when Krysia decides to host a dinner party, which will include Germans.  One of their guests is Kommandant Richwalder, the deputy to the governor.  Emma is shocked by her reaction to him.  She finds him very attractive.  Later in the evening her offers her a job as his secretary.  She hesitantly accepts the job.

Krysia sees it as an opportunity to gather information for the resistance.  However, on the first day, Emma quickly learns that mail marked confidential is not to be touched by her.  It isn't long before she is nicknamed "The Kommandant's Girl" by jealous women working in the office.   After about a month she is asked to get security passes for the resistance.  Her work has now become more dangerous.

How long will it be before Emma is recognised by someone who knew her in the past?  How can she stop herself from the feelings that she is beginning to feel about the Kommandant, for she knows that his feelings for her are becoming serious.  What will it cost her to take the next step?

Once that step is taken, Emma feels betrayed by the Kommandant when he goes on a date with another woman.  Her feelings are getting the better of her.  Not long after this, Krysia informs Emma that it appears that there is an informant in the resistance.  If that is the case, Emma and the whole resistance is in jeopardy.

Author Pam Jenoff's historical novel is well written and full of tension.  On cannot help but feel for the young Jewish woman caught up in the situation.  Will she survive or will she be condemned by an informer?  A thoroughly enjoyable and engaging read.

An Appetite for Murder

When an overweight man suddenly dies, there are people libelling others, stating that his death was caused by the strict diet he had been put on.  Detective Frances Doughty is called upon discover the source of the anonymous libels.  At the same time a former colleague of the man who died asks her to locate his estranged family.  They had disappeared while he was in jail for a robbery he claimed he didn't commit.  While Frances is interviewing her client, Inspector Shareock arrives to arrest him for the murder of his wife!

As she begins her investigation Frances just seems to run into dead ends.  Yet, clues at the recent killing are similar to that of the first crime attributed to her client.

While busy with investigating the above cases, a woman comes to Frances and asks her to investigate her husband.  She is sure that he is eating far more than he is allowed at home.  Sarah, Frances' co-detective is sent to serve as a house cleaner in the house in question to see what she can glean about the husband's overeating.

Frances' client suggests the possibility that someone had been cooking the books just before he was arrested.  That may have led to his being charged with a crime he didn't commit.  Shortly after Frances begins to question people about this, an attempt is made to break into the business.  Then following this she and Sarah are assaulted by two men with chloroform.  Fortunately they manage to escape unharmed.  This must mean that they are getting close to the real criminal.

It isn't long before the killer's plans begin to unravel.  Frances' investigation shows that there were many strands to the case and in the end she and Sarah were able to prevent one more killing from occurring.

Author Linda Stratmann's murder mystery had many twists and turns that the reader has to pay close attention otherwise they may get lost.  A very good read.

Tenacious

Prime Minister Pitt is wondering why General Buonaparte is not with the invasion fleet being assembled across the channel.  Why has he been sighted in Toulon?  Is he planning on bringing the French Mediterranean fleet up to aid with the invasion of Britain? How can they be stopped?  As a result, Tenacious is ordered to sail from Halifax to Cadiz.

Three weeks later, Tenacious joins Sir John Jarvis' fleet blockading Cadiz.  Not long after that the fleet is joined by Vanguard, which is Read Admiral Nelson's seventy-four.  It isn't long before Tenacious finds out that they are to be part of Nelson's fleet in the Mediterranean looking for Buonaparte.

In Gibraltar, Lieutenant Kydd buys himself a Toledo naval sword using the gold his uncle had given him back in Canada.  In Gibraltar Kydd is also asked to oversee the nephew of a former captain of his.  The new midshipman is a high born lad.  How will he work out?  Nelson's little fleet sets sail for Toulon in hopes of preventing Buonaparte from sailing.

Storm struck, Nelson's fleet is forced to move from Toulon.  Damage to the flag vessel required time for repairs, during which Buonaparte sailed from Toulon.  How would Nelson find them in the vastness of the Mediterranean?  Not long after this, the little squadron was joined by more ships.  It was now a true battle fleet, on the hunt.  Nelson is sure that Buonaparte is headed for Egypt.

However, there is no French fleet at Alexandria, so Nelson casts his net to the north to no avail.  The French seem to have disappeared from the Mediterranean!  Nelson decides to check Alexandria again.  There they find the French fleet at anchor in the Bay of Aboukir.  The British glide in during the evening and commence pounding the French.  Late in the night the French flag ship blows up.  The following day the French begin to strike their colours.

Kydd is sent to take the surrender of a French 74.  He returns to Tenacious, which along with Nelson's Vanguard head to Naples for repairs.  There Kydd's friend , Renzi, introduces him to the ambassador, Lord Hamilton.  Before Tenacious sets sail from Naples, Renzi and Kydd are promoted.

Tenacious' next task is to be part of an invasion of Minorca.  Hoping to be noticed for promotion, Kydd volunteers to help the army.  His acts there end up with him being assigned to help at Acre in the defence against the army of Buonaparte.  Will the small army there be able to stop that great general from advancing on to Constantinople?

Author Julian Stockwin's novel isn't as full of naval battles as in the past, includes more land battles and battles within the minds of men.  A very good read.

Brothers in Blood

Narcissus has discovered a plan by his rival Pallas to bring victory to Caratacus in Britannia.  This will help bring his lover's son, Nero to the throne.  He also wants to bring down Prefect Cato and Centurion Macro.  Narcissus decides to send his son, Septimus to warn them.

It is on the eve of a battle with Caratacus that Septimus arrives to warn the pair.  Unfortunately he doesn't know who the agent or agents might be who have been sent to cause grief in Britannia.  The battle the next day wasn't going well for the Romans, until Cato saw potential for a flank attack.  Would it be enough to save the day? And what would his punishment be for disobeying orders?

Fortunately his actions result in the capture of Caratacus and his family.  Would Cato's promise of fair treatment for them be followed?  Unfortunately for Cato, Caratacus escapes during a storm while the Romans are celebrating their victory.  Septimus appears to be the victim of the escape.  Both Cato and Macro think there is something fishy about the escape.  General Ostorius places the blame for the escape on Cato and Macro.

Caratacus has moved north to try and get the Brigantians to join his cause.  At this time, Ostorius suffers a stroke and his legate, Quintatus takes over.  He sends Cato and Macro as part of the delegation to get Caratacus back, under the guise of travelling at the request of Queen Cartimandua.  Will Cartimandua hand over Caratacus as promised or are the Romans marching into a trap?

Author Simon Scarrow's historical novel is full of excitement and treachery.  Based on historical fact, it gives the reader an idea of what life for the Roman soldiers was like.  A thoroughly good read.