Friday, August 22, 2025

Murder in the Grave


 Murder in the Grave (2021) by Irina Shapiro

Jason Redmond and his new bride have just returned from their honeymoon trip to Italy. Just in time for the newly wedded lord to land in the middle of another puzzling mystery.

Sebastian Slade, a young curate who had recently come to Upper Finchley from London, is covered over in a grave that had been prepared for another body. When Arthur Weeks, tasked with digging graves and making preparations for funerals, stopped by the grave early in the morning to make sure that all was shipshape he was surprised to find it not as deep as it should be. Thinking he must have made a mistake, he grabs his shovel and prepares to dig a little deeper and is shocked to find a body under the loose earth at the bottom. That same shovel was used to bash Slade over the head and bury him in the open grave. But who would have wanted to kill the new curate?

When Redmond and Inspector Haze begin to investigate, the answer seems to be "nobody." The man hadn't been in the area long enough to make enemies and everyone speaks of how kind and nice he was. But the longer they look, the more they find that the good man of God wasn't. Good, that is. He was sent to the country parish as punishment for butting heads with his superior in London. He had a taste for gambling. And an eye for a pretty face...especially if the pretty face was a bit on the young side. Did one of his creditors get tired of waiting for payment? Or did a relative of one of the girls he seduced decide to take revenge? Meanwhile, our detectives discover that Slade's niece was kidnapped and the trail seems to lead to Upper Finchley. Is there a connection to Slade's murder? Redmond and Haze need to find out before there is another death...

This series is turning into a bit of a comfort read for me. Comfortable characters with interesting interactions. Just enough background on the recurring characters to give them depth without bogging down the mystery with personal drama, angst, or hang-ups (like so many current authors like to weigh their detectives down with). And the plot in this one is a bit stronger than the previous four (not they weren't good). We got a nice little twist on the motive and I like the way Shapiro ties up all the loose ends from the two mysteries. A very strong entry.  ★★★★ and 1/2.

First line (Prologue): The day dawned bright and humid, the sun blazing in a cloudless sky and the temperature rising with every passing hour.

First line (1st Chapter): Jason Redmond came awake in the best way possible to find his new wife leaning over him, her lips brushing against his as her nightdress offered a tantalizing glimpse of her lovely breasts.

Last line: "The Bells," Jason agreed, and followed Daniel to the tavern.
********************

Deaths = 9 (one hit on head; four natural; three hanged; one beaten to death)

Monday, August 18, 2025

Murder in the Caravan


 Murder in the Caravan
(2021) by Irina Shapiro

The Travelers (known variously throughout as both Romani and the more derogatory gypsies) have been coming with their caravans to the Birch Hill area for decades. Though many in the village may have felt a bit prejudiced against them--as humans have a tendency to do when they encounter people different from them and whose ways they don't understand--they had to admit that the Travelers had never caused any trouble. Till now. 

When Luca, the Romani's Don Juan, comes home one morning after a night spent in somebody else's bed he finds the body of Imogen Chadwick, wife of one of the wealthiest  men in the county, lying on the floor of his caravan. The Travelers know that the locals are going to assume one of them did it, but they immediately report the death and trust Inspector Daniel Haze to see that justice is done. Haze and Jason Redmond will need to work quickly to prevent the townspeople from taking out their fears and anger on the Romani. But they have their work cut out for them, especially when Moll Brody, niece of the local pub owner, goes missing. Is there a serial killer at work? Did Moll see something on the night of Imogen's murder? And if the murder was more personal, then what is the motive? The investigation reveals ties to the Romani camp, but are those ties a motive for murder? They also discover that there are those who have harbored secret resentments against Imogen--are those strong enough to result in murder? 

Another good entry in this historical mystery series. The plot is a strong and interesting one, though I could have wished for a few more suspects. When there aren't many to choose from, it isn't too difficult to narrow it down. What I really enjoy about this series though is the interactions between the recurring characters. The relationships between Redmond & Haze; Redmond and his ward Micah; Redmond and Katherine (his betrothed); and Redmond and his servants are all finely drawn and we continue to learn more about them and see the relationships grow. I look forward to following them through more of the series. ★★★★

First line (Prologue): Glowing rays of the morning sun sliced through the thick canopy of leaves, dappling the dewy grass with matches of sunlight.

First line (1st Chapter): Jason Redmond scraped the razor across his lean cheeks and watched in the mirror as his valet, Henley, went about laying out his clothes.

Last line: There would be ups and downs, elation and grief, but today was all about love.
********************

Deaths = 6 (one garrotted; four natural; one shot)

[Finished 8/14/25]

Murder Every Monday: The Lady (or Gentleman) in Red

 


Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and/or titles  from books we own that match the prompts she posts in advance (see link).

This week's prompt is covers with a person wearing something red. Some of these colors are coming through as more brown or orange than they actually appear in real life. And, in general, it seems ladies like red more gentleman. I tried very hard to balance the sexes, but the men were fewer and farther between.

Bones of the Buried ~David Roberts
Final Cut ~Eric Wright

Castle Rouge ~Carole Nelson Douglas 
Blood on Her Shoe ~Medora Field

Any Shape or Form ~Elizabeth Daly
Murder in the Caravan ~Irina Shapiro [recently read; review coming soon]

Below Suspicion ~John Dickson Carr
Death Is Academic ~Amanda Mackay
Strong Poison ~Dorothy L. Sayers

Murder Out of Turn ~Frances & Richard Lockridge
The Castle of the Swan ~Rupert Holland
The House Opposite ~J. Jefferson Farjeon

On the Spot ~Edgar Wallace
The Broken Vase ~Rex Stout
What a Body! ~Alan Green

Murder in Williamstown ~Kerry Greenwood
Suspense Stories ~Alfred Hitchcock (selected by)
Murder at Lowry House ~Leighann Dobbs

The Blue Geranium ~Dolan Birkley 
Tragedy of X ~Ellery Queen (writing as Barnaby Ross)
The Book of the Lion ~Elizabeth Daly

Coffin in Malta ~Gwendoline Butler 
Deadly Is the Diamond ~Mignon G. Eberhart
The Great Hotel Murder ~Vincent Starrett

Plunder of the Sun ~David Dodge
Your Turn, Mr. Moto ~John P. Marquand
Maniac Rendezvous ~Marc Brandel

The Hound of the Baskervilles ~Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
3 Doors to Death ~Rex Stout
Murder for Christmas ~Thomas Godfrey (ed)


Thursday, August 14, 2025

Gently with the Innocents


 Gently with the Innocents (1970) by Alan Hunter

Adrian Peachment implores Inspector Gently to investigate the death of his uncle James Peachment. The elderly man's bruised and broken body was found  at the foot of the stairs of his 16th-century mansion. Lying beside him was a priceless gold coin. There had long been rumors that somewhere in the twisting passages and hidden rooms was a great treasure. There have also been rumors that the house is haunted. Now it looks like at least part of the rumors may have been true. The coroner brought in an open verdict--the death may well have been an accident. But Adrian is sure the local police suspect him and he can't blame them. After all, he is his uncle's sole heir. And--he's certain his uncle was murdered and he doesn't want to hang for a murder he didn't do.

Gently begins the investigation a bit reluctantly, but the more he questions Bressingham, a local antique dealer; Colkett,the grumpy owner of the warehouse next door' and the group of boys who liked to spy on "Peachy" and Colkett, the more he believes someone is guilty of cold-blooded murder. He's fairly certain the nephew really is innocent (though he's keeping an open mind) and Colkett becomes the chief suspect when Gently and the local constable realize he had a bird's eye view of Peachment's secret room. And when Colkett disappears, leaving a trail that leads to the pawning of another priceless coin, it looks very like they'll have their man once he's found.

But...then Colkett is found dead in same place and manner as Peachment. And Gently has to reorganize his theory....leading him to an unusually cruel and unexpected solution.*

Long ago and far away, I read two Inspector Gently books (Death on the Heath and Landed Gently) from our local library and immediately put him down on the TBF (To Be Found) list. Since then, I've picked up all sorts of titles (including those two--which if I ever get a moment I plan to revisit) and been fairly disappointed with those I've read. I kept wondering why I thought I needed more of Gently. Here is the answer. Here we have Gently detecting as I thought he ought to. The book has it all: a death with no motive (initially), hidden treasure, rumors of ghosts, historical context, several suspects (from the nephew to the antique dealer to the grumpy warehouse owner to others who suspected the man had gold), good atmosphere, and a chilling wrap-up. Definitely more in line with my previous impression of Hunter's detective novels. ★★★★

*Spoiler (use ROT13 to decode): Fb--juvyr vg vf puvyyvat gb guvax gung gur tebhc bs oblf pbhaq or fb pehry naq hasrryvat, V pbhyqa'g uryc ohg guvax bs gur Fgne Gerx Rcvfbqr "Zvev." Gurer gur tebhc bs Bayvrf nggnpx Xvex naq ner ernql gb xvyy uvz ol ornguvat uvz gb qrngu. Gur fprarf ner irel fvzvyne...gubhtu Xvex fheivirf naq Crnpuzrag naq Pbyxrgg qba'g.

First line: The telephone rang out in the hall and Gently looked up frowning.

Last line: Gently, who found them, received nothing, neither did Bressingham, who'd pointed the way, but the latter, in a moment of rashness, bought the Edward IV angel under the hammer.
**********************

Deaths = two beaten & fell from height

Monday, August 11, 2025

Murder Every Monday: The Case of....The Missing Monday

 


Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and/or titles  from books we own that match the prompts she posts in advance (see link).

My intention is to also post about them here on the blog. Periodically, I manage to miss Monday and post on some other day. Last week, I managed to miss posting at all. So...for your viewing pleasure I bring you both this week's prompt: Titles that begin with "The Case of" as well as last week's prompt: Cover with sunrise or sunset on.

First up: "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me..."

While the Clock Ticked ~Franklin W. Dixon
And Then There Were None ~Agatha Christie
Murder After Hours ~Agatha Christie

I'll Be Judge I'll Be Jury ~Elizabeth Hely
The Will of the Tribe ~Arthur W. Upfied

The Grail Tree ~Jonathan Gash
The Port of London Murders ~Josephine Bell
Behold a Fair Woman ~Francis Duncan

The Obsidian Chamber ~Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
Murder at the Abbey ~Irina Shapiro

*******************And This Week's Theme***************************

The Case of....an inordinate number of Erle Stanley Gardners (which I won't inflict on you). Seriously....I could post about 40-45 covers by Gardner alone.

The Case of the Constant God ~Rufus King
The Case of the Untidy Murder ~Frances & Richard Lockridge

The Case of Sonia Wayward ~Michael Innes
The Case of the Unhappy Angels ~Geoffrey Homes

The Case of the Missing Bronte ~Robert Barnard 
The Cases of Susan Dare ~Mignon G, Eberhart

The Case of the Talking Bug ~"The Gordons" (Mildred & Gordon)
The Case of the Sulky Girl ~Erle Stanley Gardner
The Case of the Solid Key ~Anthony Boucher

The Case of Robert Quarry ~Andrew Garve 

The Case of the Russian Diplomat ~E. V. Cunningham
The Case of the Colonist's Corpse ~Bob Ingersoll & Tony Isabella
The Case of the Dead Shepherd ~Christopher Bush

The Case of Cabin 13 ~Sam McCarver
The Case of the Innocent Victims ~John Creasey
The Case of the Paranoid Patient ~Anna Clarke

The Case of Jennie Brice ~Mary Roberts Rinehart
The Case of the Gilded Fly ~Edmund Crispin
The Case of the Kippered Corpse ~Margaret Scherf

Saturday, August 9, 2025

The Disappearing Floor


 The Disappearing Floor (1940; original text) by Franklin W. Dixon

Frank and Joe Hardy and their best bud Chet are headed to the woods for a little camping trip. Just by chance there is a scorched envelope in their first night's fire pit with the name "Harry Tanwick" on it and a hundred dollar bill inside. [Will the mystery in this story have anything to do with Harry or the envelope? Not a whole lot. Sorry, if that spoils things too much.] Then...that night Frank wakes to find someone rummaging about their campsite [Maybe looking for the envelope? That's never made clear.] When the boys give chase, they manage to crash down into a cave. Where they find a sack of money....and, of all people, Fenton Hardy. Who just happens to be hanging out in the very cave near their campsite and who is hunting bank robbers. Fenton enlists the boys' help in checking out the cave and finding out all they can about the men who seem to use it as a meeting place. Winds up that it's the hide-out for Beeson (a big bank robber) and his gang. Before we know it, Frank and Joe are hot on the trail which leads to a creepy old house where a crazy scientist lives and the robbers (for reasons known to themselves) take a fancy to the house. Fenton Hardy posts guards; the boys get caught and escape just in time to rescue their dad, get the guards to round up the baddies, bring the crazy scientist (who apparently has amnesia or something) back to his senses, and save the day.

This is one of the Hardy Boy Books that I have the fondest memories of. But I have to say that all of my nostalgia is for the revised text version--which is one of the first Hardy Boys books I read--and the 1977 episode on the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. Neither of which bears much resemblance to this absolutely crazy original story. Is there a weird house with crazy rooms that aren't quite what they seem and a scientist? Sure. But...the Stratemeyer ghost writer who penned the original story also gave us bank robbers, two murders of bank employees, a cave with crazy rooms that aren't quite what they seem as well, hidden money and jewels, a tough guy gang leader who masquerades as an Indian prince in a weird cult for no apparent reason other than he can, a taxi driver who tries to drown Frank and Joe in his taxi, and an apparently insane scientist who has come up with ways to put fire out by electrical "vibrations" and, instead of the standard death ray, a ray gun device that can put people into deep-freeze. Oh...and we have world-renowned detective Fenton Hardy attacked, knocked out, tied up, given the deep-freeze treatment, and rescued more times by his boys than you can shake a stick at. Given his performance in this outing one has to wonder how he makes a living as a detective.

But...if you're a kid, you'll probably enjoy the non-stop action and the ways the boys get the better of the adults. iI you're an adult looking for unintentional humor, a lot of action, and don't mind the weird, over-stuffed plot, then this could be for you as well. If you're looking for a mystery to solve yourself, then I'm afraid that's a non-starter. As soon as Fenton Hardy shows up the first time, you know who the bad guys are. The only real mystery is whether the mad scientist is a willing participant in their plots. Still, an enjoyable day's read, though not quite as strong as I would have liked. ★★ and 3/4

First line: A splintering crash resounded over the bustling platform of Bayport's railroad station.

Last line: Aunt Gertrude frowned, while her nephews smiled significantly at each other.
*********************

Deaths = 2 shot

Friday, August 8, 2025

Death on the Dragon's Tongue


 Death on the Dragon's Tongue (1982) by Margot Arnold (Petronelle Cook)

When an ailing friend calls on Sir Tobias Glendower, professor of Near Eastern and European Archaeology, to take his place at the site of a prehistoric burial monument (henge) in Brittany, Sir Toby has no idea that that he's going to land in the middle of another murder case--this one involving French politics Breton superstitions, witchcraft, and a transplanted American cult. Not to mention blackmail, drug-running, and kidnapping. And the kidnappee will be Sir Toby himself!

Sir Toby's friend Charles Latour was commissioned to examine and map the henge site when the French government decided to locate a nuclear reactor right there on the Britany coast. The local Bretons are none too keen to have the henge destroyed and the hopes (of the government) are that if the site can be properly examined and mapped that it can be moved intact. Sir Toby was more than happy to take up the job when Latour became ill; it gave him an excuse not to have to finish a long overdue excavation report. But he's not nearly as happy when local Breton superstition prevents him from having any help or when an insufferable government official by the name of Armand Dubois shows up to say that rather than the month or two of pottering about that Toby expects to have, a report will be due within a week. 

But then the officious little man is found murdered in a rather gruesome manner that the locals reserved for such enemies as the Germans who invaded during the last war. And Toby finds himself embroiled in another investigation. The equally officious Surete officer sent from Paris is ready to round up all the Bretons who opposed the reactor and he's even looking crosswise at Sir Toby. So Toby sends for his partner in previous crimes, Penny Spring, to help with the investigation. He wants her to come undercover and scope out the areas and people that he can't as the government-appointed archaeologist. But before he can meet up with her, he is kidnapped by a Breton nationalist group who think they'll be able to use the archaeologist as a lever against the installation of the nuclear reactor. 

Toby soon disabuses them of this idea and recruits them in the effort to solve the mystery. He's quite certain that the local cult (a transplant from 1960s America--complete with marijuana plants and a couple of violent 60s reactionaries) is somehow involved and one of the Bretons manages to infiltrate the fenced in grounds. But when that young man also winds up murdered, Toby and Penny are even more invested in finding the villain of the piece.

Though this particular installment of the Glendower/Spring mysteries is chock full of action and hole-in-corner activity, it didn't grab my attention quite as much as previous installments. Perhaps it's because Toby is hiding out ("kidnapped") for a great deal of it. Maybe it's because Penny doesn't show up until half-way through. Maybe it's because Toby's enlistment of the young Breton nationalist in his detecting plan winds up with the poor guy being murdered. Or it could just be my general reading blahs at the moment. Whichever (or whichever combination of these)--I struggled to keep interested in the sneaky little investigations going on. The wrap-up tried emulate Golden Age mysteries with a gathering of the suspects, but it lacked some of the "je ne sais quoi" that comes with a similar scene from the likes of Christie. A perfectly decent little mystery with a lot going on that should have grabbed my attention more firmly than it did--and if Goodreads is anything to go by it did grab others. ★★ and 1/4.

First line: Toby Glendower was in a state of complete happiness akin to ecstasy; he snuggled down to the dry, withered grass and looked lovingly at the large granite boulders above and on three sides of him.

Last line: "Some things never change."
*********************

Deaths: 4 (two stabbed; one attacked by animal; one natural)

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Whose Body? Again....


 Whose Body? (1923) by Dorothy L. Sayers (read by Ian Carmichael)

Yes...I've read and listened to Whose Body? many times before. I've reviewed it in depth (HERE) and I've reviewed audio versions by both David Case  and Nano Nagle. And all I've got to say about those is: Thank goodness for Ian Carmichael. There is nothing like listening to him read the LPW stories and I'm glad that I've been able to get hold of most of the audio versions he did (I'm still missing a few and hope to complete the set without investing too much money. But Carmichael seems to be a hot commodity on eBay at the moment). 

This particular outing with Carmichael as Lord Peter was a comfort read, plain and simple. It's been a rough couple of years at the Hankins homestead and I've had a bit of trouble lately settling down with new books. The concentration just isn't there what with husband's medical issues and the life in general here in the good ol' U S of A. I decided that I just needed to sit and let Carmichael say "pretty things" to me. [That's a paraphrase of a moment late in the book, by the way....] And I enjoyed it thoroughly. So...I'm afraid that I have no deep textual analysis or real review of any sort. But I did have a good time visiting with LPW, Bunter, Parker, and the Dowager Duchess. 

First lines: "Oh, damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. "Hi, driver!" 

Last line: "The Napoleon brandy."
******************

Deaths = 2 (one hit with poker; one traffic accident)

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

The Rewind


 The Rewind (2022) by Allison Winn Scotch

Synopsis (from the back of the book): Two exes wake up together with wedding bands on their fingers--and no idea how they got there. They have just one New Year's Eve at the end of 1999 to figure it out in this big-hearted and nostalgic rom-com from New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch.

When college sweethearts Frankie and Ezra broke up before graduationthey vowed to never speak to each other again. Ten years later, on the eve of the new millennium, they find themselves back on their snowy, picturesque New England campus together for the first time for the wedding of mutual friends. Frankie's on the rise as a music manager for the hottest bands of the late '90s, and Ezra's ready to propose to his girlfriend after the wedding. Everything is going to plan--they just have to avoid the chasm of emotions brought up when they inevitably come face to face.

But when they wake up in bed next to each other the following morning with Ezra's grandmother's diamond on Frankie's finger, they have zero memory of how they got there--or about any of the events that transpired the night before. Now Frankie and Ezra have to put aside old grievances in order to figure out what happened, what didn't happen...and to ask themselves the most troubling question of all: what if they both got it wrong the first time around?

So....I picked this out because I needed a plot that took place in a single day for a reading challenge. And the synopsis sounded pretty interesting (especially in contrast to some of the others I investigated). But honestly, this really wasn't my kind of book. I thought that there might be a more intriguing answer to what happened on the night that Frankie and Ezra couldn't remember. But it just wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped for. And honestly, I really didn't care much whether they got back together or not. Their story didn't grab me and make me in any way invested in these people. At times, they annoyed me and I found it hard to believe the ending in the way it was handled. I will say SPOILER....


that I was glad to see Mimi (Ezra's current girlfriend) exit the stage. She was pretty manipulative and got Ezra into the relationship based on a lie--that did not go down well at all. 

If you like relationship stories that go from hate to love in a fairly quick, pretty unrealistic way...then this might be right up your alley. ★★

First line (Prologue): Frankie Harriman took a long last look in the mirror on the back of the bathroom door of her decently appointed hotel room.

First line (1st Chapter): Frankie awoke to a headache that felt akin to a leech sucking the blood straight from her spinal chord.

Last line: And then, in what felt like a small miracle given how far they'd come, he pressed PLAY.

Sweet Poison


 Sweet Poison (2001) by David Roberts

August 1935, in the shadow of the coming world war. Gerald, the Duke of Mersham is one of many British aristocrats who are are trying to fend off another blood bath by bringing together influential men who might help improve the relations between Britain and Germany. He has planned a dinner with Lord Weaver, a newspaper tycoon (with his wife and stepdaughter); General Sir Alistair Craig, a distinguished retired soldier; Peter Lamore, a rising politician (and wife); Cecil Haycraft, the Bishop of  Worthing and a loud supporter of pacifism (and wife); and Baron Helmut von Friedberg of the German Embassy, a man said to have the ear of the new Chancellor Adolf Hitler. The Duke presses his younger brother, Lord Edward Corinth to join the party--to take the place of Hermione Weaver's young man at table. The ill-mannered young cub (Gerald's point of view) has cried off at the last minute.

This type of gathering is the last place Edward wants to be--both because he would rather not be plopped in the middle of the polite bickering sure to result when you mix the general, the pacifist bishop, and the German all together and because he has an important cricket match that same afternoon that he refuses to miss. The cricket match will force him to drive even more rapidly than normal if he's going to be on time. Spoiler--he isn't. After a couple of mishaps, he winds up riding with a Miss Verity Browne, reporter, who is also on her way to Mersham Castle to interview the Duchess the next day for a story. The two arrive at the castle just in time for a late supper (the guests are long done), port...and to watch General Craig die from a dose of cyanide in his glass.

When it's learned that Craig had inoperable cancer, there is a suspicion of suicide--though why choose the Duke's dinner party to do it? But the general consensus (even by the police) is that it will be chalked up as an accident at the inquest...unless further evidence is found to suggest otherwise. Neither Edward nor his new-found partner in detection, Verity Browe (a Communist of all things!) believe it to be suicide or accident. Which leaves murder? But who would want to murder Craig? He hadn't met most of the guests before. Or had he? The further the two dig, the more motives they find. But no proof whatsoever. There will be a few more deaths before the unlikely duo discover the truth behind Craig's death.

I read several of this series back when they first came out and I was struck then by how many parallels there are to the Lord Peter Wimsey books. At the time I was delighted to find a similar aristocratic sleuth because I'd read all the LPW stories there were and was wishing for more. I deliberately started reading this one this year with that in mind and wanted to see just how closely Corinth mirrored Wimsey. A quote from Poisoned Pen on the back cover of my edition says: "Roberts is convincing on period detail and crafts prickly characters...while in fact the period parallels Dorothy L. Sayers, Roberts goes his own way...." Okay, can we talk about that? Here's what I've got when I tally things up:

Like LPW, Lord Edward Corinth is the younger brother of a Duke named...Gerald. Gerald doesn't understand his younger brother and thinks he's a bit of a harum-scarum. [Fortunately, for LEC, the Duke of Mersham's wife isn't nearly the pain in the you-know-what that LPW's sister-in-law is.] LEC also loves to drive fast--though not as well as a LPW. From all reports, he's more like LPW's accident-prone nephew Lord St. George. But he does have the same proficiency at cricket--managing to bat "not out one hundred and five" (whatever that means in cricketese). LEC also has a friend who provides him an entry into bohemian/Communist party society where monkey glands are discussed. 

LEC loves to throw a quotation or two around and uses a deceptively flippant nature to disguise his intelligence. And his man Fenton, like Bunter in the filmed version of Five Red Herrings, makes claim to be an amateur painter. LEC and Verity Brown have an uneasy relationship--based on differences in politics rather than the burden of gratitude that haunts Harriet Vane. And like Harriet in Have His Carcase, Verity attempts to vamp one of the major suspects. 

The end of the story mirrors two of LPW's novels. Verity leaves LEC, not to go on a walking tour as Harriet does from Strong Poison into Carcase, but to report what's going on in Spain. LEC feels the need to leave England on a holiday just as LPW does between Whose Body? and Clouds of Witness. I'm sure I've missed several more. But you get the idea. From what I can tell, Roberts has tried to shove as many parallels to LPW into this first LEC chronicle as he could. 

But...what about the mystery? There's lots to like--lots of suspects; lots of red herrings; lots of motives. Our sleuths even have to wade through the question of whether the right person got poisoned. There's also a few quibbles--LEC and Verity don't really do heaps of detecting. They luck into a few clues, but track down fewer. The culprit is a fairly nasty piece of work and there is a pointless bit of animal cruelty thrown in. On the balance, though, this is a solid opening for LEC and I did enjoy revisiting a world and characters very similar to those of Sayers.   ★★ and 1/2  

First line (Prologue): The Duke thrust aside his copy of The Times in disgust and stared up through the branches of the great copper beech under which he sat.

First line (1st Chapter): Lord Edward Corinth deplored unpunctuality.

Last line: Then, faintly, above the rustling of the trees in the wind, he heard the tumbling skylarks choiring and he knew that their cries were all the prayers Max needed.

************

Deaths = 6 (two shot; two natural; two poisoned; two stabbed)


Friday, August 1, 2025

Monday, July 28, 2025

Murder Every Monday: Death...after Death

 


Kate at Cross Examining Crime hosts a fun mystery cover game on Instagram called Murder Every Monday. Our assignment, should we choose to accept it, is to display book covers and titles from books you own that meet prompts which she posts well in advance (see link). 

 
Today's theme is crime fiction published posthumously. I could have sworn I owned Sleeping Murder by Agatha Christie (I can even see the cover in my head). Apparently, that's just wishful thinking, because I cannot find it anywhere--not on the shelves, not in my scanned cover files, not on my huge spreadsheet. Oh, well. I do have a few others to share with you.

Striding Folly by Dorothy L. Sayers
Two-Way Murder by E. C. R. Lorac
Lord Peter by Dorothy L. Sayers

The Singing Sands by Josephine Tey
My Lady's Garter ~Jacques Futrelle*
A Vacation to Kill For ~Eunice Mays Boyd

*which sounds like a romance, but the synopsis says it is is a theft mystery