Death in Zanzibar: Review

Dany Ashton is an innocent abroad.  Brought up by a very strict, ultra-protective aunt, she has seen very little of the world and this story is about her first excursion alone.  And it just might wind up being her last.  

Dany's mother hasn't been much of one.  She has made her way through several husbands and is currently married to the famous author, Tyson Frost.  They decide to invite Dany to Zanzibar where Frost (through his father, the rakish Emory Frost) has rights to Kivulimi: "The House of Shade", a house bestowed up Emory as a gift from a local potentate. Dany is thrilled at the chance to finally see the world and has great plans to have a good time.  

Before she leaves she has been commissioned to stop by Frost's lawyer's house and pick up an important envelope.  She changes the appointment time from afternoon to morning and that's when her planned vacation begins to fall apart.  The lawyer is killed not long after Dany's visit and the police are interested in finding the "mysterious young woman" who was seen leaving the scene.  She obstinately refuses to identify herself with the authorities because she doesn't want her chance at an exotic trip to be cancelled.

Her hotel room is ransacked, her passport is stolen, and she manages to lock herself out of her hotel room in the middle of the night.  Enter Lash Holden--handsome and impetuous son of a friend of her stepfather's--who is also in the hotel waiting to leave for Zanzibar.  Lash is spending his last hours getting thoroughly drunk in response to being jilted by his fiancee and comes across Dany in the hotel hallway on his return from his binge.  He comes up with a plan for Dany to impersonate his secretary (who conveniently has the mumps and who Dany happens to vaguely resemble--enough to get by on her passport).

With a quick dye-job turning Dany into a rather dowdy looking redhead, they manage to smuggle Dany past the airport officials and are on their way.  But danger follows them.  A fellow passenger is poisoned on the journey and then one of her step-father's house guests falls to her death from a stone staircase.  Clues are constantly being planted to frame Dany even after the envelope's contents disappear, but they manage to foil the murderer's plans.  Will they manage to unmask the villain before s/he decides to eliminate Dany altogether?

This is a fun, light, romantic mystery.  Dany is a shade too babe-in-the-woods.  Honestly, I don't drink and hadn't been out amongst people who did much--but I recognized my first drunk when I saw him.  It does seem a bit unlikely that she had no idea that Lash was plastered when she first met him.  But--I suppose it's necessary to suspend one's disbelief in order for the story to proceed as planned.  The cast of characters, witty dialogue, and spectacular descriptions and local color (based on Kaye's notebooks from her trip to Zanzibar) all make the read well worthwhile.  Three and a half stars.

Library Books Read-a-Thon: Day 3

Library Books Read-a-Thon

June 22 - June 28

hosted at Rachael Turns Pages

Sign- up here

 

Today Rachael has asked us to post some pictures of our local library.   Here are a few:

image credit

 

image credit

I took this picture.

From late-April to mid-October 2012, 22 large fiberglass brains took over the city of Bloomington and Indiana University's campus. The installations were part of the Brains Extravaganza, a project that brought city institutions together to promote "brain awareness, education, injury prevention, recovery, and the importance of movement on mental and physical health." This brain was stationed outside the public library.

 

I took this picture.

 
Our local library is really cool. Every summer they run a themed children's program--and in the last five years or so they've added an adult reading program (with prizes!). Everything from hunting for buried treasure in the books they find at the library to camping out to this year's "Read & Get Moving" (combining a reading program with activities to get kids active too). One of the first years that my son and I participated (he was only two--but there was a level for pre-readers). The theme was "Science & Fiction." I thought it was SO cool that they had this giant model of the Enterprise displayed above old main entrance.   They have since renovated and that ledge is gone.

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a bookish meme hosted by Book Journey. It's where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It's a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over via the link above and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.

 

Two weeks in row for posting!  I think I may be getting my rhythm back. (Oops.  Better not get too sure of myself....)  Here's this week's offering:

 

Books Read (click on titles for review): 

The Chinese Parrot by Earl Derr Biggers 
The Father's Day Murder by Lee Harris
Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare
Devoured by D. E. Meredith 
Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov

 

Currently Reading: 

Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye: Dany Ashton is invited to vacation at her stepfather's house in Zanzibar, but even before her airplane takes off there is a stolen passport, a midnight intruder--and murder. In Zanizbar, the family house is Kivulimi, the mysterious "House of Shade", where Dany and the rest of the guests learn that one of them is a desperate killer. The air of freedom and nonchalance that opened the house party fades into growing terror, as the threat of further violence flowers in the scented air of Zanzibar.

   

Books that spark my interest:

The Hollow Chest by Alice Tilton

Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Jack on the Gallows Tree by Leo Bruce

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (only because I need it for challenges...I was uninspired when I tried it a month or so ago....)

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger 

Heart of a Dog: Mini-Review

If reading Mikhail Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog has taught me anything, it's that beyond Anna Karenina I don't think I'm all that into Russian literature.  And...my non-love for Kafka's Metamorphosis wasn't a fluke.  'Cause, honest-to-goodness, I just didn't think this dismal little story about a dog that is turned into a man by a Russian mad scientist was all that.  Yes, I do see that it's a satire on Russian Revolution.  And, yes, I'm sure it's saying important and meaningful things about the lives of the people at the time.  But it's just not saying them very well to me--especially once Sharik is turned into Polygraph Polyraphovich Sharikov, the lecherous and vulgar man who reads Engels and becomes the government official in charge of killing cats.  Quite honestly, I much preferred Sharik's commentary on humanity while he was a canine.

The best thing about this novel?  It was short--which Russian literature isn't as a rule--and I was able to knock it off my TBR pile in a single afternoon.  No rating because I just don't think I can be fair to the book.

Library Books Read-a-Thon: Start-Up and Updates

Library Books Read-a-Thon

June 22 - June 28

hosted at Rachael Turns Pages

Sign- up here

Goal of this Read-a-Thon: To read as many library books as possible.

Rachael says she's not going to be picky, and if we want to read our own books to go ahead. I've got a huge TBR pile in my library, so I'm going to mix my library with the public library.....

On Deck from the Public Library:

Devoured by M. E. Meredith (6/22/13)

The Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulbakov (6/23/13)

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons (if hold request comes through in time)

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (if hold request comes through in time)

My Library:

Jack on the Gallows Tree by Leo Bruce (6/26/13)

Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye (6/25/13)

The Hollow Chest by Alice Tilton

And possibly others..... 


June 22: On day one I discovered the read-a-thon and read Devoured by M. E. Meredith--a historical mystery set in the Victorian era.

June 23: Managed to read The Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulbakov in the afternoon.  Fortunately, this was a short one....'cause this Russian political satire didn't do a whole lot for me. 

June 25: Knocked out Death in Zanzibar (late last night)--a romantic, vintage mystery.
 

Devoured: Review

D. E. Meredith's Devoured struck me as an incredibly interesting historical mystery when I started seeing reviews of it strewn about the blogosphere.  I felt like everybody but me was reading this novel which features an early Victorian-era forensic detective and his assistant.  That being the case, I ordered it up from the library to add to my "Everybody But Me" Book Bingo reading list.

The mystery begins with the death of Lady Katherine Bessingham--a bohemian and a free-thinker, who collects specimens and fossils and who subscribes to the rather dangerous new theories of evolution.  Inspector Adams, the well-known hotshot detective from Scotland Yard, calls in Adolphus Hatton and his morgue assistant Albert Roumande--two early forensic practitioners--to examine the crime scene and perform the autopsy.  Their investigations will take them from the sewing room work house where fine lady's garments are created by the extreme poor to the well-appointed rooms of the wealthy; from the shop of an out-of-the-way bookseller to the British Museum.

The story alternates between a narrative of current events in London and letters written while one of the main characters was on a specimen-collecting journey in Borneo.  It becomes clear that the events which took place in Malaysia are firmly tied to the spate of murders that have thinned the ranks of Britain's scientific community.  But are the radical views held by these botanists and specimen-collectors really the catalyst? Or is there a more basic motive driving this killer who seems able to stay one step ahead of the police and the forensic investigators?

This one is a bit of a mixed bag for me.  It is quite obviously a well-researched novel.  Lots of excellent detail about the period--particularly the conditions for the working poor.  The letters detailing Ben Broderig's trip are quite interesting (if a bit heavy at times with descriptions of various collectors pouncing on specimens and rattling off the Latin names....).  The premise is an interesting one...but a bit unevenly told.  And I quite liked the motive behind the murders (well...most of the murders...but an explanation of what I mean by that would be a thundering spoiler).  BUT I don't like the protagonists much.  I particularly don't like Inspector Adams....for such a celebrated detective, he's awful slow on the uptake.  It seems evident that he didn't rise in the force based on his skill and the second half of the novel would seem to bear this out.  Hatton and Roumande could have been more interesting if their forensic detective work had been given more scope.  It seemed to me that most of the time they were just brought along to show how non-effectual Adams really is without moving the investigation along nearly as much as they should.  The denouement shows them in their best light--but more as men of action than as men of science.

All in all, a decent debut novel that is solid enough to make me interested in reading the next installment (The Devil's Ribbon).  I hope that Meredith builds on the strengths of her debut and I hope to see Hatton and Roumande used more effectively in their chosen profession.  Three stars.

Friday Memes: Devoured

Book Beginnings on Friday is a bookish meme now sponsored by Rose City Reader (who originally inspired the meme). Here's what you do: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments section. Include the title and author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you are so moved, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line and if you did or did not like that sentence. Link up each week at Gilion's place.

Here's the first paragraph from Devoured by D. E. Meredith (couldn't stop with just one line):

The door creaked open as the maid stepped into the room.  In a flattened jungle of leaf gold and petals of magenta, a myriad of exotic birds and flowers competed with one another. On the walls, butterflies were pinned, framed, and labelled, and all around her a dizzying quietness, except for a scratching sound made by a little finch that was kept in a cage by the window.


Quite a descriptive paragraph.  Makes you wonder where the maid is....

The Friday 56 is a bookish meme sponsored by Freda's Voice. It is really easy to participate. Just grab a book, any book, and turn to page 56. Find a sentence that grabs you and post it.

Here's mine from Devoured by D. E. Meredith:

An upsetting of the apple cart, Mr. Ashby, and the end of your world. It'll be the workhouse for you, unless you pay me the money.

Book Bingo: Square #21 and Bingo #7

Heading into the home stretch!  Only four more squares....

My latest coup:

Reread 3 Books
1. Cocaine Blues by Kerry Greenwood (5/24/13)
2. The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman (6/10/13)
3. Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare (6/21/13)

The Father's Day Murder: Review

The Father's Day Murder by Lee Harris is one of a series...all with holiday-related titles...about Christine Bennett, an ex-nun who has a talent for solving mysteries that others have long given up on. In this one the murder is more current, but Chris still finds herself digging into the past to find the seeds of the present crime.

The Morris Avenue Boys, nine friends who lived in the Bronx on Morris Avenue when they were children, gather every year for a reunion to catch up on old times.  This year's celebration takes place on Father's Day--one of the few times these successful middle-aged men could find time in their busy schedules to make it back to New York.  All of the "boys" show up except for Fred Beller who grew up to hate New York, left it, and never returned, and George Fried who has passed away.  The other seven have all remained close and have always enjoyed their reunion party.  Until now...

Someone brings along an extra party favor and takes the opportunity to stab one of the Morris Avenue Boys to death with an ice pick.  Arthur Wien was a celebrated author and the most well-known of all the "boys."  Now he's making headlines again--this time as the victim in what seems to be a motiveless crime.  

Chris, who works as an instructor at a local college, is called in by one of her former students who thinks that her grandfather has been fingered as the most likely suspect.  As Chris begins her investigation, she is told over and over again by the "boys" and their wives that Arthur was a great guy, that everybody loved him, that they were all so proud of how well he'd done.  No hard feelings anywhere.  But if that's true, why did he wind up on the floor of the men's room stabbed with an ice pick?   Chris uses her skills as a sympathetic listener and keen questioner to sort through memories and stories of a group of closely-knit friends and discover what could turn a friend into a killer.


These mysteries featuring Chris Bennett are generally fun and light. No matter how difficult the subject matter, Harris never gets gritty when writing about it. And even though this one is a bit more intense, we definitely stay within the cozy realm and the book was easily finished in a single sitting. While it may be said that Chris seems to have a lot of "luck" in her investigations, they are always interesting and her character is very likable and believable. It helps that she really likes what she does and is very compassionate in her dealings with victims and perpetrators alike. I highly recommend this series when you want something satisfying but not too heavy.

(This one was actually finished on 6/18/13....I'm just a bit behind on my review.)

Tragedy at Law: Review

 Judge William Hereward Barber's tour of England's Southern Circuit begins as normally as possible in wartime--true there are no trumpets (as Judge Barber mentions many times), but there is still plenty of pop and circumstance and the scarlet and wig to wear.  The court calendar is full of the usual cases ranging from civil complaints to criminal charges.  It looks to be a normal run--and a normal run-in with his long-time rival Francis Pettigrew.  Pettigrew and Barber were once rivals in love--with Barber winning the hand of the lovely Hilda--and now Barber loves to use his position on the bench to put Pettigrew in his place as often as possible. And he settles in to enjoy another round.

But then the odd things start happening.  Anonymous letters and poisoned chocolates. Midnight attacks on Barber's wife and a loose stair railing.  An attempt to do the judge in with gas.  A man that Barber sentenced rather severely in the past has recently been let out of prison and the Barbers wonder if perhaps Heppenstall is behind the ominous notes and life-threatening attempts.  Added to the mix, the judge unadvisedly drives home one evening after consuming a bit too much brandy and manages to run down a famous pianist--who isn't shy about threatening to take the judge to court over the matter.  Things begin to look rather bleak for the judge and his lady--at the very least financial ruin in a settlement and quite possibly the loss of his position on the bench if the case can't be settled out of court.  Through all of the attacks and a final suicide attempt by the judge (who doesn't want to face public ruin), his wife Hilda manages to save him from the unknown assailant and himself.  Until the judge's last court appearance when he is murdered on the court steps under the watchful eyes of his wife and the City Police. Inspector Mallett is presented with several suspects....including Pettigrew himself.  But Pettigrew produces an obscure point of law that will direct the way to the solution.

Cyril Hare was the pseudonym for Alfred Gordon Clark, an English judge, who used his legal experiences to good effect in his crime fiction.  When he was a young man, he served as a judge's marshall--an experience that gives breath and life to his descriptions of such a young man, Derek Marshall, who serves as marshall to Judge Barber.  Tragedy at Law gives us a very detailed look at the legal life in Britain during World War II and manages to do so without boring the reader with the details.  Hare's characters are interesting and fleshed out--with flaws and all--and Judge Barber soon becomes a man we love to hate--and yet we're still sorry when he's killed.  There are plenty of subplots and red herrings in the path to keep the reader guessing. And even though this was a reread, I still wasn't sure of myself on who did it.  Excellent reread--four stars.

Teaser Tuesdays

MizB of Should Be Reading hosts Teaser Tuesdays. Anyone can play along. Just do the following:

*Grab your current read.*Open to a random page.
*Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page.

*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! You don't want to ruin the book for others.

*Share the title and author too, so other TT participants can add it to their TBR lists if they like your teaser.

Wow.  I knew it had been a while since I posted a Teaser...but when I looked back and found that it had been over two months, I was astonished.  It's been a hectic spring to say the least.  We'll see if I can get back into the groove for all my favorite memes.

Here are my teasers from The Father's Day Murder by Lee Harris (p. 98):

He won't have a temper tantrum; he's not the type.  He may not talk to you, but if he does, you can believe every word he says.

The Chinese Parrot: Review

The Chinese Parrot (1926) is the second in Earl Derr Biggers's mystery series featuring Charlie Chan.  The Charlie Chan stories were first serialized in The Saturday Evening Post.  What is interesting is that these stories were running during the same time period as Sax Rohmer's "yellow peril" Fu Manchu.  Biggers's representation of Asians may not be perfect, but it is certainly far more positive than most of the Western literature of the early 20th century.  The Chinese detective from Honolulu manages to outsmart everyone in this snapshot of 1920s America.  And he's using his intelligence for good, rather than in an evil "yellow" plot to wipe out civilization.

A society lady who has fallen on hard times (read: her wastrel son has squandered the fortune his father had left) is forced to sell her valuable string of pearls in order to meet debts and have something to live on.  Millionaire P. J. Madden is determined to have the pearls as what he calls a just revenge for how this lady looked right through him when he was a nobody bellhop.  A deal is arranged by Eden, a prominent San Francisco jeweler (and friend of the lady's family).  Charlie Chan, formerly a houseboy in the lady's home and now a detective with the Honolulu police, is asked to transport the pearls to San Francisco where he will join the jewler's son, Bob, for the journey to New York to deliver the pearls.

But the jeweler receives a phone call changing the plan--Madden has decided to visit his desert ranch and wants the pearls delivered there instead.  There are known criminals lurking about and Bob Eden--and Chan--begin to be worried about the arrangements. It is decided that the two will travel separately and Chan will disguise himself as a man in need of work in order to get into Madden's home. He masquerades as Ah Kim, a "boy of all work" who tends the fireplace, cooks, picks up supplies, and occasionally chauffeurs.  Once established on the ranch, they encounter a Chinese-speaking parrot who dies before he can tell all, someone else will be murdered, and Bob will play poker with a millionaire and one of the shady characters.  There will be tales of arsenic and Chan will find a hidden bullet hole as well as the missing gun which was responsible.

I grew up watching the Charlie Chan movies on Saturday/Sunday afternoon television and I must say that I appreciate this novel much more.  I enjoyed the mystery and the wisdom of Chan.  It didn't matter that I suspected who was responsible the entire time...there were enough twists and turns and unknowns to make for an enjoyable read.  Three and a half stars.
 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a bookish meme hosted by Book Journey. It's where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It's a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over via the link above and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.

 

I'm back at it...nice and regular.  Here's this week's offering:

 

Books Read (click on titles for review): 

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers 
Murder Within Murder by Frances & Richard Lockridge
Break Any Woman Down by Dana Johnson

Currently Reading: 

The Chinese Parrot by Earl Derr Biggers: The story concerns a valuable string of pearls which is purchased by a wealthy and eccentric financier. The handsome young son of the jeweller is assigned to shepherd the transfer of the pearls to the financier's vacation home in a desert area of California. Because of his long association with the owner of the pearls—before joining the police force, he was her houseboy—Charlie Chan travels from Hawaii to California with the pearls. After two mysterious deaths, first of a Chinese-speaking parrot and then of the household's Chinese man-of-all-work, Charlie Chan masquerades as a cook named Ah Kim and works undercover to solve the crimes.

   

Books that spark my interest:

The Hollow Chest by Alice Tilton

Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

Death in Zanzibar by M. M. Kaye

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (only because I need it for challenges...I was uninspired when I tried it a month or so ago....)

 

Break Any Woman Down: Review

Break Any Woman Down by Dana Johnson is a modern classic.  Winner of the 2001 Flannery O'Connor Award for short fiction, these stories are authentic and honest.  Sometimes honest in the most painful of ways, but all the better for it.  Johnson easily captures the voices of black women of all ages--from the earliest days of elementary school to the older woman sitting on her porch and reminiscing about her child- and young adulthood.  These stories are raw and emotional and will strike a chord with anyone who can sympathize with what it's like to struggle to find your place in the world or to navigate the rocky roads of relationship.

I find it more difficult to review short story collections.  I feel like I ought to give a brief write-up on each story--but it's sometimes difficult to do that without  giving the plots away.  Let me just say that these are finely crafted stories and well worth the read.  My favorites are the title story and "Mouthful of Sorrow."  The characters are strong and dynamic.  Four stars for a terrific collection.

Challenges: 150 Plus Reading Challenge, 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Adam's TBR Challenge, Back to the Classics, Monthly Mix-up Mania, Mount TBR Challenge, Off the Shelf, Outdo Yourself, A-Z Reading Challenge, Embarrassment of Riches

TBR Pile Challenge: Checkpoint #6

Adam from Roof Beam Reader is once again asking us to check in with our progress in his 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge. 

Don't mind me....over here in my corner....making very slow progress this year.  BUT I did manage to finish off one book during the May 21-June 20th time period.  AND if I throw myself into it I just might manage another.  That would leave me with three more books to read to meet the challenge and five if I want to read the alternates as well. 

The first book on the list, Death at Crane's Court had been sitting on my shelf for at least five years and I finally conquered it at the end of May.  I'm currently working on Break Any Woman Down, a short story collection, by Dana Johnson (one of my MFA students during her grad student days at IU--I was the Creative Writing Secretary while she was here).  So far, I've read only the first story in her collection. **Update (6/17/13): Finished Break Any Woman Down!

My two favorites so far: A Private History of Awe and Slippage.  I tried to start the Wharton book about a month ago, but just wasn't feeling it.  Hopefully, it will go down better when I try again.

Here's my complete list:

1. Death at Crane's Court by Eilis Dillon (1987) [read 5/23/13]
2. A Private History of Awe by Scott Sanders (2006) [read 4/27/13]
3. Break Any Woman Down by Dana Johnson (2001) [read 6/17/13]
4. Poems & Prose by Christina Rosetti (1998--this edition)
5. Black Widow by Patrick Quentin (1952) [read 4/3/13]
6. A Perfect Red by Amy Butler Greenfield (2005) [read 3/22/13]
7. The Web Between the Worlds by Charles Sheffield (1979) [read 1/21/13]
8. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (2006--this edition)
9. Slippage by Harlan Ellison (1997) [read 1/19/13]
10. Aaron's Serpent by Emily Thorn (1962) [read 2/22/13]
11. The Hollow Chest by Alice Tilton [aka Phoebe Atwood Taylor] (1988--this edition)
12. The World's Best 100 Short Stories III: Mystery by Grant Overton, ed. (1927) [read 2/24/13]

Alternates:
A Bullet in the Ballet by Caryl Brahms & S. J. Simon (1984)
The Mummy Case Mystery by Dermot Morrah (1988)