Book Challenge by Erin 20.0

 

Book Challenge by Erin 20.0

First and foremost, have fun. Don't stress. No one is being judged, graded, or penalized. Even if you finish only one book the entire challenge, if you enjoy it and it's an accomplishment for you, then that's awesome.

 

The challenge will run from January 1, 2024 to April 30, 2024. No books started before 12 a.m. on January 1 or finished after 11:59 p.m. on April 30 will count. (We live in different time zones--follow according to your own time zone.)

 

Each book must be at least 200 pages long. Audio books are fine too.

 

Since this is the 20th round of the challenge, Erin is mixing things up a bit. There are 20 prompts (one for each year), but you only need to commit to 10 of them to complete the challenge. We are welcome to do all 20 but it is not required.

 

For full details see Erin's page on Facebook (link above). You will need to join the private group to view.

Here are my planned books. I am going to shoot for all 20, but those in bold are my declared prompts for challenge completion. Ten Complete: 2/2/24

1. Freebie - a book at least 200 pages long:

The Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell (367 pages) [2/7/24]

2. Book made into a movie (from BCBE1):

The Emperor's Snuffbox by John Dickson Carr (298 pages) [made into the 1957 British movie That Woman Opposite (aka City After Midnight)] (1/3/24)

3. Book by a favorite author that is not a reread (from BCBE2):

The Song of Roland by Dorothy L. Sayers, translator (208 pages) [2/2/24)

Bonus Round: Red Bones by Anne Cleeves (3/24/24)

4. Book of short stories (from BCBE3): 

Bodies from the Library 3 by Tony Medawar, ed (384 pages) [1/7/24]

5. Book with winter, summer, spring, autumn, or fall in title (from BCBE4):

Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines (320 pages) [2/12/24]

6. Historical fiction (from BCBE 5):

The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth (341 pages) [2/16/24]

7. Book set in your city/town/county/state/province (from BCBE6):

Murder in C Major by Sara Hoskinson Frommer (214 pages) [1/15/24]

Bonus Round: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (3/29/24)

8. Book with non-human main character (from BCBE7):

Q-Squared by Peter David (434 pages) [3/18/24]

Bonus Round: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

9. Book with name of a character in title (from BCBE8):

The Moneypenny Diaries by Kate Westbook (272 pages) [2/29/24]

10. Book (at least 2 words in title) where each word in title begins with same letter (from BCBE9): 

Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz (608 pages) [3/16/24]

Bonus Round: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney [3/26/24]

11. Book originally published over 100 years ago (from BCBE10):

The Passenger from Scotland Yard by H. Freeman Wood [published 1888] (295 pages) [1/11/24]

Bonus Round: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (3/21/24)

12: Book with picture of a building on cover (from BCBE11):

The Cambridge Murders by Glyn Daniel (249 pages) [1/24/24]

Bonus Round: Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang (4/14/24)

13. Edgar award winner (from BCBE12):

Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn MCCrumb [Best Paperback Original 1988] (212 pages) [1/21/24]

Bonus Round: The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton (4/25/24)

14. Book with an immigrant as main character (from BCBE13):

The Hollow by Agatha Christie [Poirot immigrated from Belgium] (288 pages) [2/26/24]

15. Book by a LGBTIA+ author or main character (from BCBE14): 

Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow (248 pages) [1/31/24]

16. Book with to, two, or too in the title (from BCBE15):

Man of Two Tribes by Arthur W. Upfield (215 pages) [2/22/24]

Bonus Round: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Maehrer [4/28/24]

17. A memoir, biography, or autobiography (from BCBE16):

Dorothy & Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers & C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo (208 pages) [3/11/24]

Bonus Round: Making It So by Patrick Stewart (4/10/24)

18. Book with book(s), bookshop, bookstore, library or librarian in title (from BCBE17):

Murder by the Book by Martin Edwards, ed (288 pages) [1/20/24]

Bonus Round: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (4/24/24)

19. Book set in Australia or by an Australian author (from BCBE18): 

Murder and Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood (327 pages) [1/27/24]

20. Book with an animal on cover or in title (from BCBE19): 

The Unicorn Murders by Carter Dickson (240 pages) [2/28/24]

Murder in Mayfair

 Murder in Mayfair (2017) by D. M. Quincy

First line: Had his mount not lost its shoe on the return journey to London, Atlas Catesby would not have been in a position to purchase another man's wife.

Atlas Catesby and his friend, Gabriel Young, the Earl of Charlton, are on their way back home when they are forced to stop at an inn to have his horse reshoed. While having a glass of ale, the men hear a commotion outside in the yard. Godfrey Warwick says that he has no use for his wife any longer and will sell her to the highest bidder. When it becomes apparent that a dirty old man wants her for unsavory reasons, Atlas puts down a bid of 30 pounds and finds himself the "owner" of Lilliana Warwick, a spirited young woman who seems to have married beneath her when she became the wife of the abusive owner of a haberdashery. 

But when Atlas offers her his protection, she insists she wants to return home with her husband. What she means is that she doesn't want to leave her children. But Warwick has washed his hands of her and tells her that she won't be allowed in his house ever again--and according to the law the children are his and his alone. She finally agrees to allow Atlas to convey her to his sister Thea Palmer's home for refuge until a long-term plan can be set-up. Thea is a most unconventional woman in the Regency period--she has a flair for mathematics and isn't phased at all by the scandalous events that have brought Mrs. Warwick her door.

But the scandal isn't over, for in a few weeks Godfrey Warwick is dead and Endicott, the Bow Street Runner, assigned to investigate the death seems certain that either Atlas or Warwick's widow (or both in collusion) is responsible. Atlas, who has a love of puzzles and who has solved minor mysteries in the past, is determined to solve the mystery of Warwick's death himself in order to clear both their names. Endicott is sure that Atlas killed the man because of his interest in Mrs. Warwick (why else is she staying Atlas's sister's house?) and the devil of it is that Atlas finds himself attracted to the lovely young widow. His investigation turns up others who had reason to want Warwick dead--from the man's "best friend" (whose job as magistrate Warwick was about to usurp) to a rival tailor with a secret that might be worth killing for to a mysterious gentleman who had a run-in with Warwick in his shop. And there may be others. Now all Atlas has to do is find the evidence that will lead to the culprit.

This is a very engaging first novel in what promises to be another good Regency-era mystery series. I immediately downloaded the second novel through my library's Hoopla account, so that tells you how eager I am to continue Atlas Catesby's adventures. Atlas is the youngest son of a newly-minted baron--who just passed the baronetcy on to Atlas's eldest brother, so he's a gentleman but not quite in the higher realms where his friend Charlton is at home and part of the interest is watching him walk the fine line between gentleman and nobility. It doesn't help that Atlas (much to his brother's dismay) disdains the way of the ton and the hierarchy. But it does make Atlas an interesting character. 

Atlas is also surrounded by interesting characters. Charlton manages to help the investigation despite his pose as a somewhat ignorant dandy and Thea is a delight (even though she does seem to be awfully enlightened for the times--that seems to be a trend in historical novels these days). My one real complaint about the story though is about the postmortems--the descriptions and the doctor's terminology seem very modern and I find it difficult to believe that the country doctor who appears later in the story would be just as modern as the doctor in London. I haven't done a lot of research on medical practices in the Regency era, but C. S. Harris, the author of the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series (another favorite), has. She has a Ph.D. in European history and her surgeon knows as much as he does about the dead and the effects of various murder methods and diseases because he uses bodies brought to him by grave robbers for research. I doubt the country doctor here has had the benefit of such anatomical researches. But that quibble aside, this is a good historical mystery for those who enjoy the Regency period.  ★★★ and 3/4

Last line: Pulling his greatcoat closed to ward off the chill, Atlas bounded down the stairs and went into the night.

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

Deaths = 4 (one bled to death; two natural; one carriage accident)

13 Moons Reading Challenge

 

 

The 13 Moon Reading Challenge by ReadnBuried is comprised of thirteen categories with multiple prompts for each category. Thirteen books (one from each category) will complete the challenge at its most basic level--Penumbral Lunar Eclipse--which is what I will be going for. I may do more, but will consider my challenge commitment complete with 13. If you're feeling ambitious you can try for all 104! Click on the link for full details.

Wolf Moon

*Stand Alone Novel: The Emperor's Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr (1/3/24)

*A Furry Creature on the Cover: The Tenth Life by Richard Lockridge (5/23/24)

*Hair on the Cover: Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell (2/7/24)

*Word "Straight," "Waves" or "Curly"

*Hair Color in Title

*Book about Found Family

*Book about Adoption: Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang (4/14/24)

*Book with a Hierarchy: When Blood Lies by C. S. Harris (2/18/24)

Snow Moon

*Word "White" in the Title

*Blanket on the Cover

*Read Book While Drinking a Hot Beverage: The Case of the One-Penny Orange by E. V. Cunningham [herbal tea] (11/14/24)

*Read Book While Burning a Candle

*Hat/Cap on the Cover: The Mystery at Orchard House by Joan Coggin (1/13/24)

*Book about Mountains: Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac (7/31/24)

*Book about Fresh Start or New Beginning: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (2/14/24)

*Book with Necromancy Themes

Worm Moon

*Book in Series with More Than 5 Books: Death, My Darling Daughters by Jonathan Stagge (1/1/24)

*Book about Rebirth or Reincarnation

*Cozy Book: Murder Aboard the Flying Scotsman by Lee Strauss (7/29/24)

*Book about Insects

*Continue a Series: The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer [Hildegarde Withers #7] (4/18/24)

*Book That Gives You the Creeps: The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth [because it's about the murder of children] (2/16/24)

*Book You're Not Sure About: The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (3/29/24)

*Book You're Thinking of Unhauling: Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines (2/12/24) [...and after reading it, I am unha]uling it.]

Pink Moon

*Book with a Princess

*Book about Women Empowerment

*Pink Object on Cover: Murder & Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood [pink flowers] (1/27/24)

*Book Recommended by a Celebrity

*Book that Tickles You Pink: Death Takes a Bow by Frances & Richard Lockridge (2/24/24)

*Coming of Age Book

*Celebrity Memoir: Making It So by Patrick Stewart (4/10/24)

*Start Book on a New Moon: My First Murder by Susan Baker (7/21/24)

Flower Moon

*Book by BIPOC Author: The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton (4/25/24)

*Book about Friendship: Dorothy & Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers & C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo (3/11/24)

*Book Club Pick: The Silent Speaker by Rex Stout [was a Detective Book Club selection] (3/5/24)

*Book with an Animated Cover: The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame [edition has Disney animated Toad on cover] (3/22/24)

*Book with Character Named after a Flower: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (3/26/24)

*Speculative Fiction: The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton (8/28/24)

*Book Set in Spring: Who Cries for the Lost by C. S. Harris (5/21/24)

*Read a Book at Any Time of the Day: The Cambridge Murders by Glyn Daniel (1/24/24)

Strawberry Moon

*Book from Your Backlist: Grand Cru Heist by Jean-Pierre Alaux & Noel Balen (3/28/24)

*Book with Bubbles on the Cover

*Book with Less Than 400 Pages: Death Has a Small Voice by Frances & Richard Lockridge (1/31/24)

*Book Trending on Social Media: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (4/28/24)

* Book from an Author New to You: One by One They Disappeared by Moray Dalton (3/2/24)

*Debut Novel: Murder in C Major by Sara Hoskinson Frommer (1/15/24)

*Book with Word "Leaf" in Title

*Book about Swimming

Buck Moon

*Book That Has Multiple Editions: The Philadelphia Murder Story by Leslie Ford (3/21/24)

*A Paperback: A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (1/28/24)

*Recommended by a Friend

*Biography

*Book You're Seeing Everywhere

*2024 Release: What Cannot Be Said by C. S. Harris (5/22/24)

*5 Star Prediction

*Man on the Cover: Miraculous Mysteries by Martin Edward, ed (2/8/24)

Sturgeon Moon

*Book with a Map: The Unicorn Murders by Carter Dickson [Dell Mapback edition] (2/28/24)

*Book That People Have Been Forcing You to Read: Reading Up a Storm by Eva Gates (9/7/24)

*Title Starts with First Letter of Your Name: (The) Blue Geranium by Dolan Birkley (3/3/24)

*Book You Hauled Recently

*Book with Tree on Cover: Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb (3/28/24)

*Word "Can't" in Title

*Book with a Dark Cover: The Passenger from Scotland Yard by H. F. Wood (1/11/24)

*A Novella: The Dragon Boat Mystery by John Bechtel (6/19/24)

Harvest Moon

*Anthology: Bodies from the Library 3 by Tony Medawar, ed. (1/7/24)

*Book You Had to Read for an Assignment: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig [since I'm not in school or a position where anyone assigns reading to me; I'm counting the fact that I read it because it was specifically required for me to fulfill the bonus round in another challenge] (4/24/24)

*Book with Movie Adaptation: 

*Book You'd Recommend to Somebody Else: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (3/21/24)

*Book Chosen by Somebody Else: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves [chosen by someone in the Book Challenge by Erin] (3/24/24)

*Book with a Fish on the Cover

*Fruit in the Title: The Case of the One-Penny Orange by E. V. Cunningham [herbal tea] (11/14/24)

*About a Celebration: Mad About the Boy? by Dolores Gordon-Smith [takes place at a 25th wedding anniversary celebration] (3/13/24)

Hunter's Moon

*Book about Food

*Set in Europe: Murder After Hours (aka The Hollow) by Agatha Christie (2/26/24)

*Umbrella on the Cover

*About a Topic You're Curious About

*Award-Winning Book: Still Life by Louise Penny [Anthony Award, Best First Novel 2007] (6/28/24)

*Seventh Book on Your Shelf

*Buildings on the Cover: A Vacation to Kill For by Eunice Mays Boyd [w/Elizabeth Aden] (6/22/24)

*Book Divided into Parts: There Is a Tide by Agatha Christie (1/14/24)

Beaver Moon

*About a Psychological Phenomenon

*Word "Five" in Title: Death in Five Boxes by Carter Dickson (5/20/24)

*Book with a Street on Cover: You'll Die Today by Marjorie J. Grove (10/24/24)

*Start a Book in the Evening: Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow (1/31/24)

*About a Specific Country

*From Your Monthly TBR: Gently Down the Stream by Alan Hunter (2/13/24)

*Book with a Cover You Don't Like: The List of Adrian Messenger by Philip MacDonald (5/4/24)

*About a Single Parent: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm  by Carolyn Keene (5/25/24)

Cold Moon

*Set in Medieval Times: The Song of Roland translated by Dorothy L. Sayers (2/2/24)

*Spider on the Cover

*Read Book While Wearing a Pair of Socks: Murder by the Book by Martin Edwards, ed (1/20/24)

*Memoir: 

*About a Historical Event: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang [1906 San Francisco earthquake] (7/4/24)

*Character's Name in Title: Q-Squared by Peter David (3/17/24)

*Book You Think You'll Love: Sepulchre Street by Martin Edwards (5/8/24)

*Book From a Goodreads Shelf: Man of Two Tribes by Arthur W. Upfield (2/22/24)

Blue Moon

*Book with Unique Format: Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz [a complete mystery story presented within the main mystery story] (3/16/24)

*A Classic

*Three or More People on Cover: A Fete Worse Than Death by Dolores Gordon-Smith (2/20/24)

*Recommended by Your Favorite Social Media Influencer

*Book with Dramatic title: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (1/21/24)

*Book with a Dagger in the Story: The Final Days of Abbot Montrose by Sven Elvestad (2/3/24)

*Set in High School: A Body at a Boarding School [UK equivalent] by Benedict Brown (7/23/24)

*About a Spy: The Moneypenny Diaries by Kate Westbrook (2/29/24)

Alphabet Soup Authors Edition 2024

 

The Alphabet Soup Challenge--Author Edition is a companion challenge for Lori's Alphabet Soup Challenge. The goal is to read books by authors whose first, middle, or last name will allow us to read one book for every letter of the alphabet. If you'd like to join in, please click on the link above for full details. X keeps getting trickier for me--especially since I'm trying to read primarily from my own shelves. So--my declared personal goal is 13 books (half the alphabet). I will try to do all 26, but if I meet 13, I can count the challenge complete on my challenge tracker page.

A: The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth (2/16/24)

B: The Blue Geranium by Dolan Birkley (3/3/24)

C: The Emperor's Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr (1/3/24)

D: The Cambridge Murders by Glyn Daniel (1/24/24)

E: Murder by the Book by Martin Edwards, ed. (1/20/24)

F: Murder in C Major by Sara Hoskinson Frommer (1/15/24)

G: Murder & Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood (1/27/24)

H: Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines (2/12/24)

I: Old Hall, New Hall by Michael Innes (6/12/24)

J: The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff (10/10/24)

K: The Mystery of the Ivory Charm by Carolyn Keene (5/25/24)
L: Death Has a Small Voice by Frances & Richard Lockridge (1/31/24)
M: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (1/21/24)
N: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (2/14/24)
O:
P: The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer (4/14/24)
Q: The Golden Eagle Mystery by Ellery Queen Jr. (6/14/24)
R: A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (1/28/24)
S: Death, My Darling Daughters by Jonathan Stagge (1/1/24)
T: Figure Away by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (4/20/24)
U: Man of Two Tribes by Arthur W. Upfield (2/22/24)
V:
W: The Passenger from Scotland Yard by H. F. Wood (1/11/24)
X:  Death for a Dietitian by E. X. Giroux (11/11/24)
Y: Crows Are Black Everywhere by Herbert O. Yardley & Carl Grabo (5/17/24)
Z:

Alphabet Soup 2024

 

The Alphabet Soup Challenge means that by December 31, 2024 our bowls must be filled with one book (title) for each letter of the Alphabet. Each letter = one spoonful. Basic details: you can sign up any time. Each letter should begin the book title--except for those pesky Q, X, and Z letters. The word that begins with the challenge letter may appear anywhere in the title. For full details and to sign up, click above.

A: Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer (4/28/24)

B: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (1/21/24)

C: (The) Cambridge Murders by Glyn Daniel (1/24/24)

D: Death, My Darling Daughters by Jonathan Stagge (1/1/24)

E: (The) Emperor's Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr (1/3/24)

F: (The) Final Days of Abbot Montrose by Sven Elvestad (2/3/24)

G: (A) Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell (1/28/24)

H: (The) Hollow (aka Murder After Hours) by Agatha Christie (2/26/24)

I: Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell (2/7/24)

J:

K: Kill the Boss Good-by by Peter Rabe (9/11/24)

L: (The) List of Adrian Messenger by Philip MacDonald (5/4/24)

M: (The) Mystery at Orchard House by Joan Coggin (1/13/24)

N: (The) New Shoe by Arthur W. Upfield (5/25/24)

O: One by One They Disappeared by Moray Dalton (3/2/24)

P: (The) Passenger from Scotland Yard by H. F. Wood (1/11/24)

Q: Q-Squared by Peter David (3/17/24

R: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves (3/24/24)

S: (The) Song of Roland by Anonymous; translated by Dorothy L. Sayers (2/2/24)

T: There Is a Tide by Agatha Christie (1/14/24)

U: (The) Unicorn Murders by Carter Dickson (2/28/24)

V: (A) Vacation to Kill For by Eunice Mays Boyd [w/Elizabet Aden] (6/22/24)

W: Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines (2/12/24)

X: (The) X'd-Out X-Ray by Ron Roy (10/26/24)

Y: You'll Die Today by Marjorie J. Grove (10/24/24)

Z: Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb (2/27/24)

The Professor Knits a Shroud

 

The Professor Knits a Shroud (1951) by Wirt Van Arsdale (Martha Wirt Davis)

Professor Pedro Jose Maria Guadaloupe O'Reilly y Apodaca, professor of anthropology and commonly known as Uncle Pete, finds himself in the middle of a dreadful tangle of murder when he accompanies his courtesy niece Kay and her husband Niles Carter to their farm near New York City. the mystery really began before they left for the country. First, he sees Kay out in the city and she's looking drawn and worried. Then Niles, a publisher, brings him a short story written in Spanish and only wants the professor to give him an oral translation. But he won't explain where it came from or who the writer is.

Speaking of writers--the Carters have been renting their farmhouse to the famous writer, Henri von Fliegel, the man who put Niles' publishing business on the map. Von Fliegel was supposed to be returning to California, but he insists that he must stay until he finishes his current book--which may take another month or two. Kay is none too pleased and the professor soon finds out why. She suspects Niles of having an affair with the author's secretary, a cool beautiful blond by the name of Marita.

Kay isn't the only one who'd rather that von Fliegel left as originally agreed. It seems the writer is disliked by nearly everyone in the area--except for the irritating Mrs. Costigan who hopes the author will help her with her own writing aspirations. So, when von Fliegel is found shot to death in the Red Room (which he has been using as a study) the police have plenty of suspects. Perhaps Niles killed the author because he was interfering with his plans for Marita. Or maybe it was Minnie or Harry, the Carter's caretakers, who had had run-ins with the new tenant. There's also Larry, von Fliegel's nephew, who may have hoped to inherit some or all of his uncle's wealth. There's a hint that Marita may also have wanted to be rid of her employer. Freddie Costigan is a crack shot and seemed mighty put out at how much time his wife was spending with von Fliegel, so just maybe it was him. While the police keep changing their pick for prime suspect, Professor Apodaca sits and knits socks--the one activity that helps him think through puzzles (last count he had knitted 2,736 of them). When the Costigan's little girl starts collecting spent bullets, the Professor begins to see his way to the end of the case. 

So, this was an unexpected pleasure. I went into it blind save for knowledge that a professor featured as the amateur sleuth. I had come across the title at some point when looking around for academic mysteries. And I can't resist a new-to-me author in the academic mystery field--especially a vintage mystery. This was Van Wirt's first and only mystery--perhaps more had been planned, but she died unexpectedly of a heart attack the year following publication--and she shows great promise in her debut. Her plotting well done and she certainly throw plenty of red herrings across the trail. It's not her fault that I wasn't fooled by them--I latched onto the culprit right away and never let go. The professor is a lovely character and I thoroughly enjoyed his method of detecting and aiding cogitation. His interactions with various characters and particularly little Jeannie Costigan were great fun. My one complaint about him is how long it takes him to remember where in print he has seen Rache before. A man with such an interest in detection would surely remember Sherlock Holmes a little sooner...But overall a delightful academic mystery.  ★★★★

First line: Pedro Jose Maria Guadaloupe O'Reilly y Apodaca, B.S., M.A., Ph.D., leaned over and carefully sprinkled a scoopful of caned coal on the fire in the tiny grate.

Last line: "I guess he never will learn to look at a thing a second time."

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

Deaths = 4 (one shot; two natural; one car accident)

Vultures in the Sky

 

Vultures in the Sky (1935) by Todd Downing

Hugh Rennert is a US Customs Agent making a train journey to Mexico City. The trip is meant to be an ordinary one for him, but fate has other ideas. Over the last several weeks, a kidnapping case has held the headlines in the States and it is rumored that the mastermind behind the kidnapping (and killing) of the child is on board. There is also danger to the train when a railway strike threatens to cause delays...and possibly damage. But the threat of strike is overshadowed by murder when one of the passengers is killed while the train passes through a long dark tunnel. When more deaths follow, it becomes apparent that somebody is desperate to keep a secret--no matter how many have to die to do so. Is it the kidnapper trying to safeguard their identity? Or perhaps it's the labor agitator who is aiding the strike? Or is there another, as yet unsuspected, secret that needs to be kept?

Rennert, as the most official person on the train, is given authority to investigate until Mexican officials can join the train at a station down the line. He has his work cut out for him because at first it seems that no one could have approached the man in the tunnel--even though two of the passengers say that they noticed movement in the dark. It isn't until he has the passengers reenact their movements during the second murder that he begins to see daylight. But will he be able to get proof that will convince the Mexican officials?

There are a few points that keep this from a higher star count. Some of my explanation is blatant spoiler, so it will be hidden with ROT13 coding: Vs Frneprl ernyyl jnf thvygl bs gur xvqanccvat naq gurersber gur zheqref, gura V svaq vg uneq gb oryvrir gung ab bar xarj na nyovab jnf vaibyirq va gur pevzr. Nsgre jrrxf bs vairfgvtngvba, gurer jnfa'g n uvag va nyy gur fpernzvat arjfcncre negvpyrf gung nalbar unq nal pyhr nobhg jub jnf vaibyirq va gur xvqanccvat bs gur puvyq. Lbh'q guvax fbzrobql jbhyq unir abgvprq na nyovab unatvat nebhaq.

When the clues and rumors were sifted down there remained the inescapable fact that no one knew whether one or more than one person were involved, whether the kidnaper were a man or a woman, whether one familiar with the life of the Montes family or an absolute stranger. 

I had my suspicions about the culprit. But didn't ultimately pick them because I thought it far more likely that another person could have been more overlooked in the kidnapping case. The other disappointment was the final wrap-up scene. It was pretty anti-climatic, but points (I guess) for an unusual way to dispose of the culprit without actually arresting them and sending them through the justice system. 

Where Downing succeeds is with the Mexican landscape and the train setting. The landscape is so well-drawn that it almost becomes another character. And the closed circle nature of the train journey provides the necessary amount of tension and suspense. He also does a good job with clues that don't exactly mean what you think they mean...I just wish they had pointed in a different direction so I would have been more satisfied with the ending. ★★★ and 1/2 

First line: "Blast the train?"

Last lines: The residence which was destroyed is believed to have been empty at the time since the owner, [redacted because spoiler], is at present in the United States. It was known locally as La Casa de los Almos, from the poplar trees which surrounded it, and its garden of flowers were the most beautiful in the city.

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

Deaths =  6 (four poisoned; one car accident; one stabbed)

A Most Efficient Murder

 A Most Efficient Murder (2022) by Anthony Slayton

Lord Unsworth doesn't like giving parties and hasn't done so for a decade. But his favorite niece is turning eighteen and he has invited friends and far-flung family for a huge gala in her honor. He also plans on making a big announcement at the end of the party. But things go awry when an unknown woman is found dead in his garden. With high-profile guests, Lord Unsworth really doesn't want the police to ruffle any feathers. He asks his trusted secretary, Mr. Quayle, to keep a watching brief on the investigation and manages to convince the Chief Constable to allow Quayle to "shadow" Inspector Wintle as he takes up the case. Fortunately, Quayle and Wintle served together during the Great War so there is a measure of trust between them. At least until Wintle begins to suspect that Quayle is more interested in protecting the family than discovering the truth. But he should remember Quayle's record in the service....the secretary isn't going to let a murderer go free even if s/he winds up being a member of Lord Unsworth's family.

And it just may be...because it isn't long before Quayle and Wintle discover that several of Lord Unsworth's family did indeed know the woman. And certain pieces of evidence indicate that someone well-acquainted with the house and people must have let the woman into the grounds. Things get even more tricky for the Unsworth's when the gardener's son, known for picking up odd bits of information here and there, is found dead next. Did Tom Nettles see or hear something that led to his death? And can Quayle and Wintle find the killer before anyone else dies?

This is a fun tribute to the country house murders from the Golden Age. Slayton captures the time period and the atmosphere of the vintage mystery really well in this debut novel of what promises to be a good series featuring the very efficient, very observant, very intelligent Mr. Quayle. Clues are distributed quite liberally--almost too liberally since I figured out half of the solution fairly early on. But Slayton's deft hand with characters, narrative, and dialogue makes this a real winner. He especially captures the upper-class grande dame in Lord Unsworth's sister very well. There are hints about Quayle past that are quite intriguing and I hope that future installments will give us more insight on what happened and how Quayle wound up in Lord Unsworth's employ. I look forward to reading the next book in the series. ★★★★

First line: From his perch atop the highest turret, Edward Statham, the Thirteenth Earl of Unsworth could see out across his domain--from the winding gardens and rolling parks to the lakes and woodlands beyond.

Last line: And all was silent save for the music echoing from downstairs and the scratching of His Lordship's pen.

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

Deaths =  7 (two stabbed; two drowned; two killed in war; one natural)

2024 Monthly Motif Challenge

 

Kim & Tanya have posted their 2024 Monthly Motif Reading Challenge. Click on the link for full details. For this challenge each month is assigned a motif or theme. The task is to read one book each month that fits the motif...I will list my tentative choices below. 

January: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb [Edgar for Best Paperback Original, 1988] (1/21/24)

February: Death Takes a Bow by Frances & Richard Lockridge [Mr. & Mrs. North with bonus duo of Lt. Weigand & Sgt. Mullins] (2/24/24)

March: Red Bones by Ann Cleeves (3/24/24) 

April: Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang [all about who deserves to be on top] (4/14/24)

May: Crows Are Black Everywhere by Herbert O. Yardley & Carl Grabo (5/17/24)

June: Brother Sebastian at Large by Chon Day (6/8/24)

July: The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn & Janie Chang [Gemma has a bird] (7/4/24)

August: Dance of Death by Helen McCloy [dead body found in snow drift] (8/21/24)

September: The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin [surviving the Blitz in London WWII] (9/15/24)

October: Never Cross a Vampire by Stuart Kaminsky (10/14/24)

November: Heberden's Seat by Douglas Clark (11/3/24) [pub date: 1979]

December:

The 52 Book Club Reading Challenge

 

 

I'm back for another round of Liz's reading challenge at The 52 Book Club. Hers is a low-key challenge, so there is no pressure to fulfill all 52 categories I'm setting a personal goal of 26. I may read more that fit the categories, but at 26 I can claim my challenge goal fulfilled. Each of the last three years I've managed to pull off all 52--so who knows, maybe I'll get there again. I'll list some tentative selections below and update as needed.

 

1. Locked Room: Miraculous Mysteries by Martin Edwards, ed.

2. Bibliosmia (a smelly book): Death, My Darling Daughters by Jonathan Stagge [has that old, used bookstore smell] (1/1/24)

3. More Than 40 Chapters: When Blood Lies by C. S. Harris (2/18/24)

4. Lowercase Letters on the Spine: The Passenger from Scotland Yard by H. F. Wood (1/11/24)

5. Magical Realism: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (4/24/24)

6. Women in STEM: The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton (8/28/24)

7. At Least 4 Different POV: Zombies of the Gene Pool by Sharyn McCrumb (3/27/24)

8. Features the Ocean: Murder on Deck! by Rosemary Herbert, ed. (7/17/24)

9. Character-Driven Novel: The Emperor's Snuff Box by John Dickson Carr [Eve Neill's character is vital to the plot] (1/3/24)

10. Told in Non-Chronological Order: Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney (3/26/24)

11. Title Starts with "K": Kill the Boss Good-by by Peter Rabe (9/11/24)

12. Title Starts with "L": The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin (9/15/24)

13. Academic Thriller: The Cambridge Murders by Glyn Daniel (1/24/24)

14. A Grieving Character: Winter in June by Kathryn Miller Haines (2/12/24)

15. Part of a Duology: Bimbos of the Death Sun by Sharyn McCrumb (1/21/24)

16. Omniscient Narrator: There Is a Tide (aka Taken at the Flood) by Agatha Christie (1/14/24)

17. Nominated for the Booker Prize: A Guilty Thing Surprised by Ruth Rendell [1970 long list] (1/28/24)

18. Apostrophe in the Title: The Queen's Awards by Ellery Queen, ed. (10/7/24)

19. Buddy Read: A Body at a Boarding School by Benedict Brown (7/23/24)

20. Revenge Story: Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers (3/21/24)

21. Written by a Ghostwriter: Nice Fillies Finish Last by Brett Halliday OR a Nancy Drew

22. Plot Similar to Another Book: Murder in C Major by Sara Hoskinson Frommer (1/15/24)

23. The Other Book with the Similar Plot: Murder & Mendelssohn by Kerry Greenwood (1/27/24)

24. Cover Without People on It: The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa (2/14/24)

25. Author "Everyone" Has Read Except You: Think Twice by Harlan Coben [given how many books he's sold & his bestselling status] (9/22/24)

26. Hybrid Genre: A Fete Worse Than Death by Dolores Gordon-Smith [Historical Fiction/Mystery] (2/20/24)

27. Neurodivergent Author: Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

28. Yellow Spine: The Phantom of Pine Hill by Carolyn Keene (6/13/24)

29. Published in a Year of the Dragon: One by One They Disappeared by Moray Dalton (3/2/24)

30. Picked Without Reading the Blurb: The Blue Geranium by Dolan Birkley (3/3/24)

31. Includes a Personal Phobia: The Blood-Dimmed Tide by Rennie Airth [losing a child to violence] (2/16/24)

32. Time Frame Spans Week or Less: Death Takes a Bow by Frances & RIchard Lockridge (2/24/24)

33. Abrupt Ending: The Hollow (Murder After Hours) by Agatha Christie (2/26/24)

34. Set in Landlocked Country: Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac [Austria] (7/31/24)

35. Title Matches Lyrics from a Song: Gently Down the Stream by Alan Hunter (2/13/24)

36. Futurist Technology: Q-Squared by Peter David (3/17/24)

37. Palindrome on the Cover: Nightmare at Noon by Stewart Sterling (11/20/24)

38. Published by Hatchette: Inspector of the Dead by David Morrell (2/7/24)

39. Non-Fiction Rec by a Friend: Dorothy & Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers & C. S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo (3/11/24)

40. Set During Holiday You Don't Celebrate: Death of a Fool by Ngaio Marsh [Winter Solstice] (3/4/24)

41. Sticker on the Cover: Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer [library sticker] (4/18/24)

42. Author Debut in Second Half of 2024: Dance of Death by Helen McCloy [my challenge, my rules: this is McCloy's debut & I read it in the 2nd half of 2024] (8/21/24)

43. About Finding Identity: Playing with Myself by Randy Rainbow (1/31/24)

44. Includes a Wedding: The Mystery at Orchard House by Joan Coggin (1/13/24)

45. Chapter Headings Have Dates: Death Has a Small Voice by Frances & Richard Lockridge (1/31/24)

46. Features Indigenous Culture: Man of Two Tribes by Arthur W. Upfield (2/22/24)

47. Self-Insert by Author: Making It So by Patrick Stewart (4/10/24)

48. Word "Secret" in Title: The Secret of High Eldersham by Miles Burton (7/4/24)

49. Set in City Starting with the Letter "M": Still Life by Louise Penny (6/28/24)

50. Musical Instrument on Cover: The Murder Sonata by Frances Fletcher

51. Related to Word "Wild": The Wild Palms by William Faulkner

52. Published in 2024: What Cannot Be Said by C. S. Harris (5/22/24)

 

May Mini-Challenge:
M: Author Last Name Starts with "M": Dance of Death by Helen McCloy (8/21/24)
A: A is for Alpha: Amphigorey by Edward Gorey [contains two alphabet books] (5/24/24)
Y: Interrogative Word in Title: Who Cries for the Lost by C. S. Harris (5/21/24)