The Agathas

 The Agathas (2022) by Kathleen Glasgow & Liz Lawson

Synopses (from book flap): Last summer, Alice Ogilvie's basketball-star boyfriend, Steve dumped her. Then she disappeared for five days. She's not talking, so where she went and what happened to her is the biggest mystery in Castle Cove. Or it was, at least. Because now, another one of Steve's girlfriends has vanished, Brooke Donovan. Alice's ex-best friend. And it doesn't look like Brooke will be coming back...

Enter Iris Adams, Alice's tutor. Iris has her own reasons for wanting to disappear, though unlike Alice, she doesn't have the money or the means. That could be changed by the hefty reward Brooke's grandmother is offering to anyone who can share information about her granddaughter's whereabouts. The police are convinced Steve is the culprit, but Alice isn't so sure, and with Iris on her side, she might be able to prove her theory.

In order to get the reward and prove Steve's innocence, they need to figure out who killed Brooke Donovan. And luckily Alice has exactly what they need--the complete works of Agatha Christie. If there's anyone who can teach the girls  how to solve a mystery it's the master herself. But the town of Castle Cove holds many secrets, and Alice and Iris have no idea how much danger they're about to walk into.

So...if you've read one (or more of the blurbs) and believe this to be a really Christie-driven narrative. Yeah, no. There are superficial Agatha Christie connections--like the title. Is there any real reason to give it this title? No. Did anyone at any point in the book every refer to Alice and Iris as "the Agathas"? Again, no--at least not that I noticed. Beyond the fact that Alice throws in a reference to Christie and/or her detective Hercule Poirot (and his little grey cells) periodically, the girls don't really follow any of the fictional detective's particular methods. They talk about the psychology of the crime, but is it figuring out the psychology that leads them to the murderer? No. They talk about "order & method" and go so far as to draw up a list of the suspects and motives and whatnot, but that's about as orderly as they get. The only other connection (and a somewhat tenuous one) is Alice's disappearance. It gives echoes of Christie's own disappearance when she found out her husband was cheating on her.

Full disclosure--I don't read a lot of Young Adult novels. They're just not my thing, but I needed one for a challenge. I chose this one because it was a mystery and it looked like having a nice Christie connection (Golden Age mysteries are more my thing). Now, it's perfectly possible that I might have rated this one higher if my expectations for better Christie connections either hadn't been there in the first place or had been met. But they were there and they weren't met in a satisfying way. The mystery is decent and it was a quick read. I enjoyed watching Alice learn what real friends are like once she gets involved with Iris and Iris's friends (who remind me of the gang from Mystery Inc). We had a multi-layer ending and just when I thought we'd hit the final layer, we went for one more. 

If Young Adult is your genre and/or you go into this with lower Christie connection expectations than me, then you may find yourself giving this one four stars (the most popular rating on Goodreads). As for me... ★★★

First line: ALICE OGILVE IS CRAZY.

Last line: We might as well make some trouble together.
********************

Deaths = 3 (two hit on head; one natural)

Dandy Gilver & an Unsuitable Day for Murder

 Dandy Gilver & an Unsuitable Day for Murder (2010) by Catriona McPherson

Synopsis from Publisher's Weekly: When Mirren Aitken, a department store heiress goes missing, Mirren's mother asks well-to-do sleuth Dandy to track her down. Aitkens' Emporium ("Tailors, Mantle Makers, Silk Merchants, Domestic Bazaar") is in bitter competition with another store in the town of Dunfermline, House of Hepburn ("Hosiers, Glovers, Clothiers, and Milliners"). The Aitkens fear that Mirren has eloped with Dugald Hepburn, a scion of the rival family. Before long, Dandy must tackle a related homicide, only to become a suspect herself.

Actually...Mirren is found during the Emporium's fifty anniversary party. And she hasn't eloped. In fact, she's not going anywhere except to a resting place six feet deep. And her intended, Dugald, isn't far behind. And, while Dandy does spend an uncomfortable few hours in the police station answering questions, I can't say she's every seriously suspected. But Dandy does tackle the investigation and, finally--after quite a tangled trail--discovers the truth of the matter.

Count me baffled. I'm baffled about the ending. It has got to be one of the most complicated solutions to a mystery out of all the mysteries I've read. I read the ending a second time because I couldn't wrap my head around it the first time. I'm still not sure I understand all of the family connections going on here. I'm also baffled as to why on earth this won an Agatha award for Best Historical Mystery. I'm baffled about why Dandy is described in a blurb as "an enthralling heroine; part Dorothy Parker (in her dreams), part Miss Marple (Christie's elderly sleuth is about 100 times sharper)" and why we would mention any of this in the same breath as Agatha Christie.

I thought the debut novel (After the Armistice Ball) was a decent first book in the series. And, despite a few misgivings, I thought the third novel (Dandy Gilver & the Proper Treatment of Bloodstains) was a fun book and did the historical side of things well with bonus interesting premise. Unfortunately this one has none of those good points. In fact, the longer I think about it, the more I wonder if the ★★ that I'm assigning isn't a bit generous....

First line: Whatever I was expecting when I decided to take a turn around Dunfermline--I was early for my appointment and it was a particularly pleasant day--it was not this air of jubilance.

Last line: I was very glad indeed that out of everyone around, I was me.
*************************

Deaths = 2 (one shot; one fell from height)

Strong Poison

Strong Poison (1930) by Dorothy L. Sayers (read by Ian Carmichael)

As I mention in my previous reviews of the audio version of the first of Sayers's books to feature Harriet Vane, this is a perennial favorite. I love listening to Ian Carmichael read the story. I love going back to the beginning of his romance with Harriet and the beginnings of the changes and growth in his character. If you would like to see what I have thought about the book previously, please see my other reviews (linked on the Revies by Author tab above).

What I like so much about Sayers is that I can reread (relisten to) the stories repeatedly and never get tired of them. I enjoy Sayers' writing and the characters--the way Lord Peter piffles and uses quotation. This time I particularly enjoyed Bunter playing the Don Juan with the cook and the parlor maid and finding out important bits of information to help the investigation along as well as Miss Climpson's "storming the citadel" to get evidence of a certain person's motive.

One thing I did notice this time that managed to escape me on the countless previous readings was a tiny little discrepancy. Miss Climpson (who is one of my favorite characters, by the way) is having a little crisis of moral regret for how she has used spiritualism to get a look at a certain elderly lady's will. She ponders whether the Almighty will forgive her actions--especially as she's doing it to help somebody "I've never even seen" Well...she's doing the job for Lord Peter (whom she most definitely seen) and in turn this bit of deception is to help prove Harriet Vane innocent. And, again, having served on the jury in Harriet's first trial...and having been the main reason it was a hung jury and a new trial had to be called, Miss Climpson most certainly has seen Harriet as well. There isn't anybody else this could be in reference to. 

 Full marks for a grand performance of a much loved detective novel. ★★★★★

First line: There were crimson roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood.

Last line: "If she'll have me," said Lord Peter Wimsey.

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

Deaths = one poisoned

A Wallflower's Guide to Viscounts & Vice

 A Wallflower's Guide to Viscounts & Vice (2025) by Manda Collins

Synopsis (from the back of the book): A wallflower by choice, wealthy Lucy Penhallow would rather sit out the dancing all season than listen to the flattery from the fortune hunters who pursue her. But when she and her best friend's brother witness a crime in progress, they'll need to put every skill Lucy's learned from reading detective stories to the test in their hunt for a missing woman. And if Viscount Gilford happens to be handsome as sin and clever to boot? Well, that's no hardship for her.

Viscount Gilford needs a wife to save him from financial ruin [after an unscrupulous steward embezzles funds from the estate], and there's only one heiress who's off limits [as his sister's best friend]. So when he and Lucy find themselves inextricably linked in the tabloids, it's a disaster. As their investigation progresses, their once unwelcome alliance becomes something more--a love match neither will give up. But there's a killer watching their romance from the wings who's only too happy to keep those meddlesome sleuths together in the afterlife.

This one is in a tie with How to Dance with a Duke for least favorite Manda Collins book so far. The romance progressed even more quickly than those in the other Collins romance/mysteries I've read. And the mystery was far less compelling and more confusing. I'm not sure if Collins is changing her style a bit for this new Wallflower offshoot from the Ladies Most Scandalous series or if this is just a less successful entry in her general romance/mystery repertoire. Either way, it didn't hold my attention in the same way and I wasn't terribly interested in the Lucy/Gilford relationship. We went from "I can't be interested in my sister's totally forgettable best friend" to "Wow, she's so beautiful I could never forget her" in less time than it takes to be reintroduced. All that was needed to push Gilford right off the romance cliff was for his friend Woodward to show an interest in her. Then he starts looking daggers at every man who even dares to look at her.

Spoiler Alert.... 

As far as the mystery goes....I don't understand why all the killing was necessary. After the fake kidnapping, why didn't the two violent lovebirds just hop on a boat for America and go get married? Did we really have to kill so many people? And I wish it had been more clear that Mr. Blackwood was really okay at the end. There's one sentence that makes it seem so...and I hope so. Hopefully, the next installment will get back on track. My favorite Collins book so far is A Spinster's Guide to Danger & Dukes. I hope to see another just as good in the future. ★★ and 1/2

First line: He was too pretty to die.

Last line: "My dear lady," he said as he rose with her in his arms and headed for their bedchamber, "is that not why you married me?"
*******************

Deaths = 5 (three stabbed; one natural; one hit by train)

Girl Waits with Gun

 Girl Waits with Gun (2015) by Amy Stewart

Based on the forgotten true story of one of the nation's first female crime fighters. Synopsis from the book flap: Constance Kopp doesn't quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters from city to country fifteen years ago. When a powerful, ruthless factory owner runs down their buggy, a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their farm. The sheriff enlists her help, and it turns out Constance has a knack for outwitting (and disarming) the criminal element which might just take her back out into the world and onto a new path in life. Quick-witted and full of madcap escapades, Girl Waits with Gun is a story about one woman rallying the courage to stand up for and grow into herself--with a little help from sisters and sheriffs along the way....Constance Kopp catapults from forgotten historical anecdote to unforgettable historical fiction heroine--an outsized woman not only ahead of her time, but sometimes even ahead of ours.

My take: Historically important. It was interesting to learn about this woman who became the first ever female sheriff's deputy. But I have to say as a story, it just didn't grab me and I didn't find Constance (or her sisters) interesting characters at all as presented. And I didn't really see the "madcap escapades" anywhere. It was one long parade of harassment by Henry Kaufmann's gang of ruffians. It took quite a long time to get to where he actually is charged with harassment and assault and it sticks. The most interesting part, for me was when Constance shows herself to be a detective-in-the-making and manages to find a lost little boy. The boy was taken from his mother (a woman seduced by Kaufmann, by the way) and sent to an orphanage. It's Constance who puts two and two together and figures out where the boy was taken. Hands down--best part of the book and it didn't even make the book blurb. It's possible, if they feature Constance actually investigating mysteries, that future books may be better...but I'm not sure I'm going to spend time finding out.  ★★ and 1/2

Others on Goodreads seemed to enjoy this more, so your mileage may vary.

First line: Our troubles began in the summer of 1914, the year I turned thirty-five.

Last line: "I'm offering you a job, Miss Kopp."
*********************

Deaths = 2 natural

Muscle & Bone

 Muscle & Bone (1995) by Paul-Victor Winters

A beautiful but short collection of poetry by a beautiful soul--taken from us much too soon in 2020. I was privileged to know Paul-Victor in his final year of MFA work at Indiana University. His work is touching and haunting with imagery (such as the flowers and plants) that finds its way through nearly all the poems in this book. The poems cover love and loss and grief and back again...all in the space of 32 pages.★★★★

First line (first poem): Give the old man eyes, the woman says

Last line (last poem):  above us.

A Catered Book Club Murder (Spoilerific)

 A Catered Book Club Murder (2021) by Isis Crawford (Barbara Block)

Synopsis (from the book flap): Sisters Bernie and Libby Simmons run a catering business in their upstate New York town and they're delighted for the chance to provide tasty desserts for the local mystery lovers' book club. But when fiction spills into a reality and the sisters find themselves investigating a suspicious death, it's up to them to figure out whodunit...

If anything can be said about the endearingly predictable Margo Hemsley, it's that she always serves elaborate desserts at her mystery book club meetings. That's why everyone fears the worst after she doesn't pick up her order from Bernie and Libby and skips out on the monthly gathering. The Simmons sisters can't imagine their acquaintance vanishing like a character from one of her favorite novels, at least not willingly.

When the search ends with the discovery of a dead body, Bernie and Libby agree to help the nine remaining book club members prove their friend was murdered. But a speed read through Margo's background reveals there was more to the victim than harmless hobbies and frumpy cardigans would suggest. As the sleuthing sisters unearth scandalous secrets about the book club members, they'll have to determine who was connected to Margo's shady dealings--and who sent her to an early grave...

So...I cannot discuss this without spoiling things left, right, and center. You have been warned!

Here we have a "cozy" mystery--amateur sleuths, small town setting, catering with baked goods, and recipes at the end of the book. And the solution is about as cozy as a rabid pit bull whose owner has trained it for dog fights. No, seriously. The solution to this cozy little mystery is a contract killer. What?? I mean, yes, I pointed my finger at the correct suspects (contract killer has a girlfriend...now there's a cozy little novelty)--mainly because contract killer guy kept appearing here and there when the sisters were investigating and the girlfriend kept insisting on how she "tried to warn Margo." I didn't have any real clues to go on. And how we were supposed to figure out that the suspect was a hired gun is beyond me--unless we were just supposed to assume that if a woman had a secret identity all lined up with fake passport and a stash of cash then, of course, somebody would want to hire a killer to do her in.

Another thing that niggles at me--the title centers this on a catered book club murder. The book club really doesn't come into it all. Sure, that's what this group of people have in common--they're all part of the book club. But do we actually see them in the book club? Does the murder happen at a book club meeting?  Do books get more than a passing mention? No, no, and no. For all that the book club figures in, this could have just been focused on any group of friends or neighbors. 

Oh and incidentally, once the culprits are apprehended and the dust settles, life just goes back to normal. All of the book club members were really ticked off at Bernie and Libby during the investigation (because the sisters kept discovering their little secrets and saying that each of the members had motive for murder). But all is apparently forgiven--we change the day the book club meets (to avoid bad vibes??) and change up our pastry order and that's it. We're all friends again. 

Last thing--not important to the mystery, but the recipes at the end of the book? They have no connection to the story whatsoever. I was really hoping for the recipe for the chocolate croissants.

The best part of the plot? Bernie and Libby are the daughters of a former cop, so they immediately turn info over to the police instead of keeping it to themselves. It doesn't keep them from running into trouble with the killers at the end and barely escaping being murdered--but at least it isn't because they haven't kept the authorities up to date on their discoveries. Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea--it didn't help that the book opened by dissing one of my favorite mystery authors of all time, Dorothy L. Sayers. ★★

First line: Lydia Baskerville cleared her throat, "I dreamt about you last night, Margot," she said, her voice loud against the air conditioner.

Last line: It was time to go.
*******************

Deaths = one drowned; one shot

The Benson Murder Case

 The Benson Murder Case (1926) by S. S. Van Dine

Based very loosely on the (unsolved) true crime murder of  Joseph Brown Elwell in 1920. Elwell, a bridge expert, was found shot to death in his locked home and, like Benson in this novel, was not wearing the toupee which covered his bald head (and his vanity). 

Alvin Benson, a financial man in partnership with his brother Major Anthony Benson, is found shot through the forehead while sitting in his favorite chair in the living room. A book is still clasped in his hand. The house was locked up tight and only Benson and his housekeeper have keys. It's not surprising to find a lady's handbag and gloves on the mantle--Benson was well-known for his pursuit of the fairer sex. So, District Attorney John F. X. Markham naturally assumes it's a case of cherche la femme. But, after examining the room and the dead man, Philo Vance, dilettante and aspiring amateur sleuth, declares that no woman could have committed the crime. He convinces Markham and once the owner of the purse is found the DA decides that her fiance, having taken exception to the attentions of Benson towards his beloved, decided to rid the world of a scoundrel. Vance, of course, shoots that theory down too. Before long, it seems that every viable suspect is ruled out. Could it be that nobody did it?

Once upon a time, I discovered Philo Vance. If I remember correctly, it was in the treasure trove that was the Owen Public Library in my first year of marriage. For a town of about 2500, that library had the most amazing collection of vintage mysteries and it introduced me to the likes of S. S. Van Dine, Elizabeth Daly, Edmund Crispin, and many others that I've since hunted down for my very own vintage mystery library. But back to Vance. I discovered him and loved him and hunted down every one of his cases.

So...I needed a metallic/glittery book for a reading challenge and, having picked this one up in the last year or so, I thought it would fit the bill. Honest to goodness, Vance is the most irr'tatin', wordy fellow ever. Why use one word when you could use a whole paragraph of fancy words with sporadically miss'n letters, dontcha know? Older Bev must have a lot less patience for this type of thing than younger Bev. And Markham must have the patience of Job to put up with this sort of thing on the regular. And what makes it all the worse is that a HUGE portion of the book is devoted to talk--and Vance talking most of the time. There is very little actual action here. It's all Vance giving his ideas about things OR Vance & Markham interviewing suspects. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.

SPOILER ahead!!!!!!

What saves the book is the plot. Figuring out who killed Benson and why is pretty interesting. After making Markham listen to him build up plausible cases against everyone who has been on the top of the suspect list, Vance twists everything around to show how someone who hasn't even really been considered and who seems to have the classic iron-clad alibi could have done it. And--by the way--actually did. The mystery is good enough...I just wish I had enjoyed Vance more this time around. ★★★

First Line: It happened  that, on the morning of the momentous June the fourteenth when the discovery of the murdered body of Alvin H. Benson created a sensation which, to this day has not entirely died away, I had breakfasted with Philo Vance in his apartment.

He [Vance] spent considerable time at his clubs: his favorite was the Stuyvesant, because, as 

he explained to me, its mentorship was drawn largely from the political and commercial ranks, and he was never drawn into a discussion that required any mental effort (p. 23)

"Y' know, Markham, our so-called civ'lization is nothing more than the persistent destruction of everything that's beautiful and enduring, and the designing of cheap makeshifts....Look at that fine old door, for instance, with its bevelled panels and bolection, and its Ionic pilasters and carved lintel. And then compare it with the flat. flimsy, machine-made, shellacked boards which are turned out by the thousands today." (Vance; p. 265)

Last Line: And the remark, though intended merely as a good-natured sally, proved strangely prophetic.
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Deaths = one shot

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How to Dance with a Duke

 How to Dance with a Duke (2012) by Manda Collins (read by Anne Flosnik)

 From the Goodreads Synopsis: Miss Cecily Hurston would much rather explore the antiquities of Egypt than the uncharted territory of marriage. But the rules of her father's exclusive academic society forbid her entrance unless she weds one of its member. To clear her ailing father of a scandalous rumor, Cecily needs to gain admission into the Egyptian Club--and is willing to marry any old dullard to do it. Lucas Dalton, Duke of Winterson., is anything but dull. He's a dashing and decorated war hero determined to help Cecily--even if that means looking the other way when she claims the dance card of Amelia Snow, this seasons most sough-after beauty. But Lucas has a reason for wanting Cecily to join the Egyptian. His brother went missing during [the last] of Lord Hurston's expeditions to Egypt. An alliance with the explorer's bluestocking daughter could bring Lucas closer to the truth about what happened...or it could lead him to a more dangerous love than either he or Cecily could have imagined.

After thoroughly enjoying Collins' Ladies Most Scandalous series (and needing another book by her for a challenge), I decided to try one of her earlier works. A number of things have come together to make this a far less satisfying read/listen.

1. The narrator is far less engaging than the one who performs the more recent series. She seems to be trying to keep a damper on any emotion or inflection--especially in the early chapters--and reads the words as if speaking to people who are rather slow on the uptake....and....who...need...a...lot...of...time to process everything. I've never upped the reading speed on an audio novel before but had to do so to help get through this at a reasonable pace and to keep my attention.

2. While the synopsis interested me greatly when I was scanning library entries for Collins' books, it just didn't grab me in the way her Ladies Most Scandalous series did. I think she has grown exponentially as a writer and has become much more adept at combining the romance and mystery aspects. 

3. Speaking of mystery aspects, this one is much weaker. As soon as the culprit appears on the scene, it was obvious to me that they were responsible. There really weren't a lot of viable options for other culprits and the biggest mystery to me was why Lucas and Cecily were still in the dark until the very end of the story.

4. Speaking of the romance aspect, as another reviewer on Goodreads noted: one of the spicy scenes was totally inappropriate--not as a spicy scene in and of itself, but because why on earth when you've been eavesdropping on potential bad guys and find yourselves locked in a room would you suddenly think this is the time and place to indulge your spicy nature??? Seriously?

5. Opening interaction between Lucas and Cecily was pretty stupid. First he chases her down the street, she's trying to avoid him. Then when she finds out he's the brother of her father's secretary (who's missing, by the way), she suddenly wants to talk to him. When she suddenly wants to talk to him, he thinks it's because of her avarice and his title (because of course if a female actually wants to talk to him, then she must be scheming to marry him now that he's a duke and all) and he tries to skedaddle. She chases him. Another stupid scene and she leaves in a huff. This time he lets her go--only to regret having done after the fact. AND supposedly she doesn't want to create a scene on the public street. What on earth does she think all that to-ing and fro-ing was doing?

6. It seems to me that Collins has a much better grasp of the historical time period in the more recent series as well. I never really felt like I was in the regency period here--even though all the trappings were present and there were mentions of Prinny and Napoleon. 

Good points:

1. Great premise. Love the idea of a mystery connected to an Egyptian expedition.

2. Love, love, love both the Duke's mother and Cecily's step-mother. It's nice to see story where the step-mother is not the evil stereotype. Other great characters include Cecily's cousins.

3. The promise of stories about the cousins actually made me want to continue with the series. 

I believe this may be Collins' debut novel and as such it is fairly solid with a great premise that just needed better follow through. But as mentioned, her later work is much more accomplished and better plotted from (my main interest) the mystery standpoint. If I go on to others in this series (Ugly Ducklings), I hope to find that they grow stronger as well. ★★ and 1/2 

First line: Miss Cecily Hurston batted her ivory tipped parasol against the hulking footman who none too gently thrust her through the doors of number thirteen Broughton Street.

Last line: Her reply, though enthusiastic, was unintelligible.
*******************

Deaths = 2 (one hit on head; one poisoned) 

GAD Mystery Word of the Day: Willy-Wagtail

 

My newest mystery meme: the Golden Age of Detection (GAD*) Mystery Word of the Day. Whenever I find a word that I'm unfamiliar with--or shall we say not absolutely confident I know the exact meaning of, I'm going to actually take time to look it up and share it with mystery-lovers everywhere. There will be occasional words from more modern mysteries as well. 😊

Today's GAD Mystery Word of the Day: Willy-wagtail (noun) A passerine bird native to Australia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Eastern Indonesia. It is black with a white belly, eyebrows, and whisker marks.

Outside the hut wherein Bony was pondering these theories a willy-wagtail shrilly chirped its warning call and, thus warned of someone's approach, he quickly stacked the weather reports and was wrapping them in their brown-paper covering when Stella Borradale appeared in the open doorway. (Winds of Evil by Arthur W Updike)

GAD Mystery Word of the Day: Oleograph

 

My newest mystery meme: the Golden Age of Detection (GAD*) Mystery Word of the Day. Whenever I find a word that I'm unfamiliar with--or shall we say not absolutely confident I know the exact meaning of, I'm going to actually take time to look it up and share it with mystery-lovers everywhere. There will be occasional words from more modern mysteries as well. 😊

Today's GAD Mystery Word of the Day: Oleograph (noun) A chromolithograph (picture made from a series of plates) printed on cloth to imitate an oil painting.

Oddly enough, that dust reminded Mrs. Nelson this morning of the old oleograph in the bar parlour showing H. M. S. Majestic ploughing an angry Atlantic as great billows of black smoke poured from her two funnels set abreast. (Winds of Evil by Arthur W Updike)

A Governess's Guide to Passion & Peril

  A Governess's Guide to Passion & Peril (2024) by Manda Collins (read by Mary Jane Wells)

After Jane Halliwell's father killed himself and bankruptcy from gambling debts was found to be the reason, she and her mother were shunned by their former "friends" connected to the Foreign Office (where Halliwell had worked) as well as by the echelons of polite society. Jane's mother went to live with a cousin in Scotland and Jane was forced to support herself through governess positions. After being dismissed without a character from one post (because the man of the house couldn't keep himself to himself--and naturally she was blamed), one of her father's few remaining friends, Lord Guilford gives her a post as governess to his daughter Margaret (Meg). But his wife is none too pleased because she is friends of the woman who dismissed Jane and makes Jane's life miserable. She frequently reminds her to keep her place and not to "cast lures" at any gentlemen in the house if she doesn't want to cast out again.

Lord Guilford, a noted fancier of roses, is hosting a conference on rose gardening...which is totally not about roses. It's just a cover for a little diplomatic get-together in which England and other countries will be trying to convince a tiny little east European country (for which, read fictional) to sell its plans for a "long-distance talking device" to their governments. Guilford's right-hand man for this event is Lord Adrian Fielding who knew Jane and her family in Rome (Halliwell's last posting) and who...in Jane's mind...walked away from them* when they needed friends the most. And he's the last person that Jane wants to see. (*Jane didn't know that he'd received his own marching orders from the Foreign Office and had no time to say goodbye.) 

But fate has a way with things. When a woman cancels at the last moment, Lady Guilford asks Jane to attend the conference dinner to balance the numbers (heaven forbid that there be more gentleman than ladies...or vice versa). And so she comes face-to-face with the man she worshipped from afar (she was in her late teens when he was a twenty-something low-ranking official with the Foreign Office in Rome). And--as these things go--of course, they both are immediately drawn to each other while firmly denying any interest whatsoever....

When the ladies leave the gentlemen to their port, Lady Guilford sends Jane off to retrieve a shawl she left in Guilford's study. Jane finds not only the missing shawl, but the dead body of her employer. Lord Guilford has been stabbed. Did one of the rival diplomats take exception to England's leading position in the race for the new invention? Was there a personal grudge? When a page from Machiavelli--with an underlined quote--and a pressed rose are found in the dead man's pocket, Jane, Lord Adrian, and Inspector Eversham (who is called in on the case) realize that maybe someone is targeting men in the Foreign Office....and maybe Halliwell's death wasn't a suicide after all. A few other suspicion FO deaths are discovered and now the trio are in a race to uncover the villain behind the deaths before he can strike again.

If the previous "Ladies Most Scandalous" book was a nicely done, more fairly clued mystery in the classic style, then this one adds a bit of spymaster spice. We've got the elements of the Foreign Office thrown in so we're not sure whether the motive is more prosaic (personal gain, jealousy, etc) or exotic (national secrets, experimental devices, etc). It mixes things up nicely and I enjoy watching Collins try her hand at various mystery genres. My one complaint is how formulaic the romances are becoming--two people who claim to have no interest in one another now (whether they've just met or had reason to be friendly in the past) and all and sundry can see the obvious sparks between them and then suddenly they realize that they are mad for each other (and wind up having sexy scenes after like two kisses--and in the middle of a murder investigation, no less). But...it's fiction after all and I do like the romantic fluff in general, especially since it's tied to some pretty good mysteries. ★★★★

Oh...and I meant to mention this in the previous audio version reviews I did: Mary Jane Wells does an absolutely fabulous job with the narration and handling the various voices for all the characters. I thoroughly enjoy her interpretations of these people and especially how she is able to carry forward the intonations and vocal qualities she's given to characters who recur from story to story. 

First line: "Margaret, do stop staring out the window and pay attention to your geography lesson please."

Last line: "I love you more," Adrian said, framing her face in his hands and with the gentle sound of water lapping at the sides of the boat, he kissed her.
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Deaths =  7 (two carriage accident; two stabbed; two shot; one poisoned)

A Dying Fall

 A Dying Fall (1973) by Hildegarde Dolson

Grace Dilworth's family has always made their mark on the community of Wingate, Connecticut. Her father, the wealthiest man in town, had had fingers in nearly all the pies and when he died, part of his legacy was the Dilworth Arts and Crafts Center. It's a place for community artists of all sorts to ply their craft and exhibit their work. It's known beyond the town's borders for the beautiful rose garden. It's a place the town is proud of. Now Grace, his heir, is making her own mark...but it's not nearly as well received.

Grace returns home after a long cruise with the handsome Davin Lowry on her arm and starts dropping bombshells. The smallest is that they're engaged. And the biggest? Well--first of all, the beautiful rose garden is history. Davin is supposedly an art expert and he's had the brilliant idea to dig up the roses and replace it all with an avant-garde sculpture garden. The board of directors are dismayed--but Grace has the controlling interest and what she says goes. And Mario, the gardener who has cared for those roses like their his own children, is incensed.

The first of the sculptures arrive--among them a ten-foot steel piece with sharp, sword-like prongs sticking out of it titled of all things "Touch Therapy." Well...somebody uses it as therapy all right to get Davin Lowry out of their system for good. The young man's body is discovered impaled on one of the protruding prongs.

Lucy Ramsdale, the sixtyish amateur snoo---er, sleuth, and Inspector James McDougal are off on another hunt for a murderer in this second of the four-part series. Lucy can't believe that one of her neighbors could be responsible. McDougal is sure that Alec, the assistant director for the center, was afraid Gavin planned to see him thrown out of the place just as effectively as the roses (Lucy thinks McDougal is letting his prejudices run away with him). But the evidence points to Mario, the gardener. And Sergeant Terrizi, who is engaged to Mario's niece, is under family pressure to prove Uncle Mario's innocence. Terrizi actually thinks that there was trouble in paradise and that Grace did away with her betrothed herself. Are any of them right? 

At the end of the first book, I had high hopes for McDougal--he'd become a more interesting and likeable character by the end and I thought that would continue. Nah. He's back to grousing over his failed marriage and feeling sorry for himself that he isn't really connected to the police any more. It's amazing how he keeps getting to lead investigations when he's officially retired... Why doesn't the man apply to the local force for a job? And Lucy is also a bit more annoying. She keeps getting her feathers ruffled over how McDougal is investigating and not reacting exactly as she wants him to. Yes, she's a rather egocentric person, but I don't remember it being quite such a thing last time.

The mystery is okay--I mean, there aren't many suspects to begin with and when the killer starts knocking off others who may have been witnesses of one sort or another then the number shrinks even more. It would have also been nice if a little more foundation had been laid for the killer's extreme response to a certain piece of information. It felt like it came out of the blue. I do have one more in the series (the third)--I hope it is stronger than this one. ★★ and 1/2

First line: As Lucy Ramsdale said when the news reached her, "If Grace's papa could hear this, he wouldn't turn over in his grave--he would levitate."

Last line: The nurse who had come in to pick up the dinner tray was shocked.
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Deaths = 3 (one stabbed; one fell from height; one hit on head)

A Spinster's Guide to Danger & Dukes

  A Spinster's Guide to Danger & Dukes (2023) by Manda Collins (read by Mary Jane Wells)

Miss Poppy Delamare has been living in London under the name Flora Deaver. As such, she has been working as the secretary to Lady Katherine Eversham and as a reporter for Kate's newspaper. She had fled to the city to escape an unwanted marriage arranged by her odious stepfather--to his equally odious secretary. But when she sees a newspaper article stating that her half-sister stands accused of murdering her husband--the same odious secretary, she knows she must rush home to do whatever she can to clear her sister's name. She knows that Violet could never have killed the man--not just because she's her sister, but because he was shoved off the top of a tower and Violet is terrified of heights.

Poppy leaves a hurried note for Kate (who is a friend as well as employer) and Caro (recently wed to her Viscount) and makes a beeline for the train station where she is promptly relieved of her life's savings by a cut-purse. She runs after the man, shouting "Stop, thief!" and runs smack into Joshua Fielding, the Duke of Langham. The two have already met in the previous novel and were not exactly enamoured of each other. But Langham is a gentleman and can't leave a lady in need. When he discovers that she is headed to the same village as he (its conveniently home to his country estate) and why, he proposes a deal. He'll use his ducal influence in every way possible to assist her quest for justice and she will accompany him to the estate--as his fiancee! 

You see, Langham is due home for his grandmother's birthday party, an annual gala which the matriarch uses as an attempt to see her grandson hooked up with a suitable woman to become the duchess. He just knows there will be a harem of women for him to look over and he has absolutely no intention of marrying any of them. If Poppy will agree to a faux engagement for the duration, it will save him no end of bother and if she's appearing as his fiancee, there will be even more reason for his ducal protection. The uneasy bargain is struck and the two of them give the house party the shock of season when they step off the train and Langham makes the introductions.

Poppy faces fire from the society ladies whose noses have been put out of joint, but, fortunately, she was gently bred before leaving home and has the manners and courage to face things out. She even, after a rather stiff introduction, manages to win over the Dowager Duchess and Langham's two sisters. Poppy begins to feel bad about the deception, but once started she knows she has to go on with it if she's to have any chance of saving Violet. 

And...what about that murder? Well, it winds up that there is dirty work afoot between the dead man and his boss. They've been swindling people and a note that Lanham and Poppy find while investigating seems to indicate that the victim had been blackmailing various people as well. Was there a falling out between the thieves? Did one of his victims decide to eliminate the blackmailer? Or...there's an indication that there may have been an attachment between Violet and Langham's cousin & steward. Is the murderer closer to Langham than Poppy? 

Meanwhile, as Langham and Poppy work together to fool the house guests as well as play detective, they find themselves wishing more and more that the engagement wasn't fake....

So, the next audiobook in this series begins by telling us that these are romance novels with mystery thrown in. Perhaps--there is quite a bit of romance going on here and, of course, as happens when two people who dislike each other on sight are thrown into a faux engagement/relationship for one reason or another, they naturally wind up madly in love. But--this particular installment in the series has a quite respectable mystery in it. Very nicely clued and if I had thought just a little bit harder about the first one presented I could have figured out who the culprit was. As it happened, I didn't and went haring off after a red herring. And the romance is quite good as well--I really like Langham and Poppy. Especially Poppy. I loved how she stood up to the society women who were determined to put her in her place (without success). The scene in the tower (when they get locked in) seemed a bit rushed and forced for where the relationship was, but otherwise the progression of their relationship was handled well. I'm looking forward to finishing the next installment. ★★★★

First line: Violence regrettably was out of the question.

Last line: "You make a good point," she said as he took her mouth, and it was quite a long while before they spoke again.
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Deaths = one stabbed

Murder at the Royal Albert Hall

 Murder at the Royal Albert Hall (2021) by Lee Strauss (read by Elizabeth Klett)

August 1926. A night of operatic culture and a matrimonial triumph for Felicia Gold turns into tragedy. Ginger Reed and her family--husband Inspector Basil Reed, Grandmother Ambrosia & sister-in-law Felicia (by Ginger's previous marriage), and Felicia's beau Charles, Lord Davenport-Witt--are out for night at the opera. An event prompted by a note the Dowager Lady Gold received from two old friends from finishing school days. Ambrosia agreed to come and meet them at the interval, but insisted on sitting with her family. Before the curtain rises, Charles takes center stage and publicly proposes to Felicia (delighting the young woman who loves to be the focus of attention).

But her delight turns to horror later in the evening when the Duchess of Worthington, another of Ambrosia's former friends, falls from the balcony and dies. What initially looks like accident is soon proves to be murder. When the Duke of Worthington is also killed, it seems that somebody is working out a grudge. And when Basil and Ginger try to question Ambrosia and the remainder of the "sisterhood"--just to get background on the Worthingtons, none of the ladies want to talk. Could it be that secrets of the past are just now taking their toll? And what could possibly have happened now that murder seems like the only answer? Ambrosia's diary from those years may hold some clues, but will she be willing to share it before more murders take place?

This is an interesting twist in the Ginger Gold mysteries. Through Ambrosia's diary entries, we get a glimpse of what the Dowager Duchess was as a young girl (and we see shades of both Felicia and Ginger's personalities there--even though Ginger isn't blood related). We also get a more solid mystery with clues. If the solution had rested entirely on the clues given, I would have raised my rating even more but, alas, there isn't any way that I can see (well--hear, since I listened to the audio version) that the reader could have figured out the complete motive. I suspected the right culprit--but more from context than from clues to motive. I will concede that it's possible I missed the clues. It's more difficult for me to pick them up and track them when listening rather than reading with my eyes. But I don't think I did. I'm also not sure how to interpret that last line...I'm hoping that what I think might be in store is a figment of my imagination. ★★★★

First line: The anticipation surrounding the opera at the Royal Albert Hall was palpable.

Last lines: Ginger sighed. She would make a truce with Charles that their past wouldn't come to haunt them. Would it?
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Deaths = 4 (two stabbed; two poisoned)

Two Bronze Pennies

 Two Bronze Pennies (2015) by Chris Nickson

It's Christmas Eve 1890 and DI Tom Harper is looking forward to his first Christmas with his wife, Annabelle. They'll spend an hour with her sister and then the rest of the time will be all theirs. But...murder has other ideas. When a young Jewish man is found stabbed to death with his body arranged in the form of a cross and two pennies on his closed eyes, Harper is called out on the cold night. He grew up in the area where the victim was found--an area that has slowly filled with Jewish immigrants from all over Europe. The climate had remained calm for many years, but now "No Jews" signs are popping up throughout the area and a group of young Jewish men are forming a society to push back. After all--they were born in England and are just as British as anyone else, why shouldn't they be treated equally? Harper's superiors want him to find the killer/s quickly and prevent the massive outbreak of violence that may come if tension is not relieved.

But before Harper and his men can make much headway, a young firebrand Rabbi is also murdered and left in the same fashion. In an effort to get a lead, Constable Billy Reed agrees to go undercover in a group of "England for the English" ex-military officers. Having served in Afghanistan himself, Reed fits right in. Through his covert operations, he soon learns of a shadowy leader known only as "Alfred" (most obviously not his real name) and even gets to meet him. But before he can learn Alfred's real identity, his cover is blown. He's found unconscious and severely beaten in a woods near the Jewish district. It isn't until Reed finally awakens and there is a chance spotting of Alfred in the hospital that Harper can begin connecting the dots between the killings...the killers...and Alfred. And he still has to get hard evidence that Alfred was on the spot in order to put the man away for good. Can it be done?

A nicely atmospheric, fairly solid Victorian police procedural. It leaves a bit to be desired in actual clues/evidence (the way Harper uses Reed to make the charge stick to Alfred is a bit unsettling) but overall a good look at police procedure near the turn of the century. What I most appreciated about this one is that I got the hoped-for character expansion (which I expressed in my review of the series debut). We learn quite a bit more about Harper and Reed and the women in their lives which gives a new depth to the characters. ★★★

First line: "Have you heard a word I said, Tom Harper?"

Last line: "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you, Tom Harper?"
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Deaths = 5 (two stabbed; two natural; one strangled)

Blotto, Twinks & the Dead Dowager Duchess

 Blotto, Twinks & the Dead Dowager Duchess (2010) by Simon Brett

Blotto and Twinks are off on another mad-dash adventure in the 1920s--where secret societies are plotting to upend the status quo and our particular secret society is planning on wiping out all of the aristocracy. Or at least all of those who will be sitting in the House of Lords at Christmas time. Our heroes must track down the man behind the scheme and thwart his plans before the lords of the realm go the way of the first victim of the book. The adventure begins with the death of the Dowager Duchess of Melmont at her own country house party. Since the interfering woman was determined to see her daughter wed to Blotto (a plan Blotto did not agree with...), he wouldn't mind that she were dead so much if his own chauffeur hadn't been hauled off as chief suspect at the instigation of one of those "know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuths" (see quote below) who always show up at 1920s country house weekends. After all, good chauffeurs don't grow on trees. 

So, Blotto and Twinks decide to hunt down the real killer themselves. And that determination leads them on a trail through opium dens, third-rate pubs, and tea shops. It finds them parachuting in to an unknown estate and rescuing the very girl that Blotto would give anything to not rescue (lest she want to fulfill her dead mama's plans) and finally leads them to a decrepit Scottish castle which just happens to serve as the headquarters for the League of the Crimson Hand (the aforementioned secret society). They promptly wind up as prisoners. The clock is ticking towards zero hour and it will take all of Twinks's ingenuity to get them out of the dungeon and on their way to save lords who are sitting ducks back in London.

Apparently I was in a much better mood for this, the second in the Blotto & Twinks series, than I was for the one featuring the Ex-King's Daughter (see link for review). While everyone still does go on a bit too much in the hearty English manner ("Twinks, me old bloater;" "Blotto, me old gumdrop,"  "Tickey-tockey" and so on...), it didn't grate on me quite so much. And I really did enjoy the brother/sister team's adventures in the 1920s. Brett seemed intent on making this outing a combo of Boys' Own Adventure and Sax Rohmer style thriller with a hefty send-up of the mad villain out to end civilization as we know it. Brett's strong point in these stories is his slam-bang finishes. We have Blotto taking out dozens of bad guys with his "second-best cricket bat" and lovely dogfight with Twinks at the second gunner's position in an early airplane. Lots of fun and shenanigans...and of course our heroes come out unscathed.  ★★★ and 1/2

First lines: If there was one thing Blotto (properly known as the Honourable Devereux Lyminster) didn't like about weekend house parties, it was the inevitable gathering-together of a large number of people with dark secrets in their past, along with the tiresome near-certainty that one of them would get murdered. Not to mention the unavoidable presence of a know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuth who would happen to be staying for the weekend. And the obligatory moment when the aforementioned know-it-all polymathic amateur sleuth would dragoon everyone into the library to tell them whodunit.

Last lines: And Blotto? Oh, he went hunting.
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Deaths = 5 (one stabbed; two shot; one fell from height; one plane crash)

Murder in Hyde Park

 Murder in Hyde Park (2020) by Lee Strauss (read by Elizabeth Klett)

 It's time for the summer fashion show and, daring the weather, the organizers decide to set up the runway in Hyde Park. Ginger Reed and Feathers & Flair are major sponsors and Ginger had taken up the job of organizing the grand do. Famous designers from Italy and France--including the unconventional Coco Chanel--have models to display alongside the British design offerings. Despite Coco Chanel's calculated late arrival (anything for publicity!), the show begins smoothly...until models begin falling on the runway. It is soon apparent that things are far more serious than clumsiness. One of the models, an up-and-coming tennis champion with hopes of Wimbledon, dies and the cause is shown to be poisoning from a blow dart. Coco Chanel's one-of-a-kind bamboo parasol is missing and the bamboo shaft would have made an ideal method of delivery. And when evidence shows that the dart must have been sent on its deadly way from the direction of the famous designer's tent, the net gets a little tighter around her and her entourage. She calls in a favor from the Great War and hires Ginger to "prove my innocence." But as the evidence mounts, it begins to look like that may be an impossible ask. And then a second British tennis player is nearly killed...can anyone really believe that Coco Chanel or one of her fashion crew is out to knock off all the rising stars of British tennis?

A decent outing in the Ginger Gold mystery series. The mystery is fair--though once we clear one bit of evidence and possible suspect/s out of the way, there really isn't many options left in the suspect department. And the use of rare "froggy poison" that our culprit just happened to have access to and manage to sneak off with (supposedly before every having murderous thoughts against anyone). Seriously? I'm also not keen on the inclusion of Coco Chanel. First--I don't like her blackmailing Ginger over the knowledge that Coco has about Ginger's nom de plume during the war and the fact that she (Coco) isn't bound by the secrets act and could blab any time she wants to. Knowing what I now know about Coco's ties to Nazis in WWII, I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. And, even though Ginger doesn't know what the designer is going to do in WWII, I don't see Ginger wanting to make friends with a woman who would use such knowledge as leverage (this is a "hope" Ginger expresses at the end of the case). We finally got rid of one secret service thorn in Ginger's side (two books ago), did we really need to saddle her with another? And...one final quibble: Here we have Ginger putting herself and her unborn child into harm's way again. This time pretty much on purpose--and why on earth she would trust the culprit when it was suggested that they just "shake hands and be friends" I have no idea. She's just lucky the killer had decided to aim at someone else AND had run out of "froggy poison." 

On the plus side, it was nice to see a slightly different side to the fashion industry--though a bit briefer than one might like. And the addition of tennis as a backdrop was also good. As always, the descriptions of the period and locales are detailed and intriguing. ★★★

First line: The grand fashion summer show set in Hyde Park was only one day away and Feathers & Flair was abuzz with energy.

Last line: Ginger sighed. Her natural inquisitiveness was a tremendous trait when it came to her investigative work but when it came to Ambrosia her curiosity would have to wait.
***************

Deaths = one poisoned 

The Well House Reader

 The Well House Reader (2022) by Donald J. Gray

From the book blurb: What did generations of Indiana University students think about their years on campus--the faculty, courses, administration, pressing social issues, and each other? Through student writings and art featured in The Well House Reader, the Bloomington campus across the years vividly and sometimes whimsically comes to life.

Poignant and reveling, The Well House Reader offers unforgettable glimpses of Indiana University through the eyes and experiences of is students across the decades.

An interesting cross-section of student views in essay, poetic, and fictional form with comments from everyday students to IU scholars (though sometimes only briefly) of more renown such as Theodore Dreiser, Ernie Pyle, and Hoagy Carmichael. It was a bit disappointing to see so few entries from the 1960s through the 1990s. Some of the literary journals may not have been operational during all of those years and perhaps there is not nearly as much in the archives for whatever reason, but one could have hoped for some letters to the editor from The Indiana Daily Student to give more representation. Most of the material seems to come from the 1920s and 1940s--maybe students were more vocal then. But given the turbulence of the 1960s-early 1970s, I would have expected more from that time period...at least in the Protests section. However, putting aside that disappointment, this is a pleasant trip down the memory lane that runs through campus giving us a look at the students of the past as well as highlighting some of the changes that have come to the campus itself. ★★★ 

First line (1st poem/essay): Kirkwood! Thou art not merely stone and sand;

Last line (last essay): Dean was squinting in exasperation at his next customer, and the Greek girl had found a fashion magazine to look at.

DeKok & the Somber Nude

 DeKok & the Somber Nude (1967) by A. C. Baantjer

Inspector DeKok of the Amsterdam police and his right-hand man Vledder are pulled into a search for a missing young woman. Nanette Bogaard's cousin Kristel van Daalen comes to report her as missing. Nanette is Kristel's partner in a flower business with Nanette creating beautiful arrangements while Kristel handles the business side of things. At this point the beautiful young woman has been missing less than twenty-four hours and Vledder can't understand why DeKok feels such an urgency about it. The cousin insists that Nanette has never stayed away overnight before and that she is certain that something awful has happened. As the two men begin their investigation, they find that they aren't the only ones looking for the flower-arranger. There's her morphine-addicted cousin, Frank Bogaard and journalist Barry Wieler who says he loves her but seems more like a reporter in search of a hot story, and Mr Staaten, a fiftish art collector and stockbroker who insists that the seventeen-year-old Nanette had agreed to marry him. In the background, there is Staaten's son Ronald who definitely did not care for the idea of a stepmother--especially one about his own age. There is is also the mysterious Brother Laurens, who may or may not have been Frank Bogaard's supplier, and  Pierre Popko, who painted a portrait of Nanette nude on the late Mrs. Staaten's couch.

The painting showed up at an art dealer's shop near the canals and seems to be very much in the center of the mystery. Once it's discovered, things move very quickly with Nanette's dismembered body found by the men at the Municipal Garbage Dump. A dirty one-legged doll helps lead DeKok to the location of Nanette's murder...and eventually to the culprit in this fairly grisly and cold-blooded murder.

I have such a mixed reaction here. On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoy Baantjer's style and the excellent translation work by H. G. Smittenaar. The read is smooth and fast-paced and the descriptions of Amsterdam make for a terrific background for the story. The murder is a little more violent than I tend to like, but we don't dwell on the imagery too long. And I thoroughly enjoy the relationship between DeKok and Vledder. My main frustration (which I share with Vledder) is that DeKok keeps things close to his chest--like Holmes. I guessed part of the solution. But the key word there is guessed. There are a number of observations that DeKok makes (to himself) that we're not privy to. He can't believe that Vledder (and we) didn't catch those things. But how could we? But for that I would be giving this four stars instead of ★★★ and 1/2.

First lines: It was raining. It had been raining for days, endless long July days.

Last line: "Yes," he said, "a snake in the shape of an angel."
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Deaths = 2 (one natural; one strangled)