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michellehenriereads's review against another edition
5.0
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
When I pick up mysteries, I gravitate to cozies. An Antique Murder is not a cozy, but I was intrigued through the entire book.
The author, Norman Russell, did an interesting thing. Instead of having a mystery where the reader knows nothing and the detectives solve it along with the reader, Russell created suspense by giving the reader critical info up front. The reason this worked so well was because we weren't given everything—just enough to keep us in suspense while still trying to solve the who-dun-it.
Masterfully done, and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. And I didn't solve it in advance, and yet we had the proper clues. Love it when that happens!
Final conclusion: you're going to love this book if you enjoy murder mysteries. I highly recommend it!
When I pick up mysteries, I gravitate to cozies. An Antique Murder is not a cozy, but I was intrigued through the entire book.
The author, Norman Russell, did an interesting thing. Instead of having a mystery where the reader knows nothing and the detectives solve it along with the reader, Russell created suspense by giving the reader critical info up front. The reason this worked so well was because we weren't given everything—just enough to keep us in suspense while still trying to solve the who-dun-it.
Masterfully done, and I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. And I didn't solve it in advance, and yet we had the proper clues. Love it when that happens!
Final conclusion: you're going to love this book if you enjoy murder mysteries. I highly recommend it!
annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
An Antique Murder is the second Oldminster mystery by Norman Russell. Released 29th Jan 2022 by Joffe Books, it's 188 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also available through the KU subscription.
This is a very well written, short, and engaging procedural with a truly disparate cast. There are dodgy characters aplenty: the shady gardener with an eye to profitable sidelines, a gaggle of retired thespians hiding murky pasts, an antiques dealer, and the staff of the Home for Retired Actors in Oldminster. The clues are fair play, and the climax, denouement, and resolution were satisfying and fairly believable. The addition of actions in the distant past (WW2) resonating down through the years to the present day add depth to the story.
There are three books currently in the series, making it a good candidate for a weekend mini-binge read. The plot is self-contained in this volume, so it works well as a standalone read.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
An Antique Murder is the second Oldminster mystery by Norman Russell. Released 29th Jan 2022 by Joffe Books, it's 188 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The other books in the series are also available through the KU subscription.
This is a very well written, short, and engaging procedural with a truly disparate cast. There are dodgy characters aplenty: the shady gardener with an eye to profitable sidelines, a gaggle of retired thespians hiding murky pasts, an antiques dealer, and the staff of the Home for Retired Actors in Oldminster. The clues are fair play, and the climax, denouement, and resolution were satisfying and fairly believable. The addition of actions in the distant past (WW2) resonating down through the years to the present day add depth to the story.
There are three books currently in the series, making it a good candidate for a weekend mini-binge read. The plot is self-contained in this volume, so it works well as a standalone read.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
caterinaanna's review
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
theoverbookedbibliophile's review
4.0
DI Paul French and DS Glyn Edwards are called to investigate the murder of a retired thespian, ninety-four-year-old Sir Frank Taylor, resident of the Irving Home for Retired Actors in Oldminster. His body was discovered in his own bed with a dagger plunged through the chest. The dagger is an authentic SS dagger, the ‘Ehrendolch’, or ‘honor dagger’, part of the ceremonial dress of members of the SS. Could there be a possible connection between Sir Frank Taylor and the Nazis or is the use of the dagger a mere coincidence? Given the timing and manner of the crime committed and the efficient routine maintained by the management of the residence, it seems unlikely that an outsider could have entered the premises and murdered the victim .Thus it seems that the staff and fellow residents are the most probable suspects or are they?
As the story progresses we come to know that Sir Frank had been fearing for his life and had requested one of his fellow residents Mr. Charles Forshaw, to hire the detective duo of Greenspan and McArthur to look into matters if anything untoward ever occurred. The search for the truth involves deep dive into the family histories, of more than one person linked to the victim dating back to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. Adding to the intrigue are two unidentified individuals who appear to be members of an avenging vigilante group communicating on the Dark Web (under the aliases of Bosszuallo and Msciciel) , the gardener with a shady past , a criminal kingpin who has a history with Frank, an antiques dealer who is a friend of the residents and who was instrumental in recognizing the historical significance of the murder weapon and a crew of retired actors whose efforts to contribute towards identifying the killer lead to some humorous and some shocking moments.
An Antique Murder by Norman Russell is an intriguing mystery with an interesting cast of characters and a well-woven plot. The pace was a bit slow in the beginning and it took a bit of effort to keep track of the many characters integral to the plot . The pace picks up in the latter half of the novel and though some of the twists were not too hard to foresee, the manner in which the mystery is unraveled does have an element of surprise. Overall, this is an enjoyable read that holds your attention till the very end. This is the second in a series of novels featuring DI Paul French and DS. Glyn Edwards, but can very well be enjoyed as a standalone novel. Seeing as how much I enjoyed this story , I would love to read the first book in the series as well.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an eARC of this engaging cozy mystery in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
As the story progresses we come to know that Sir Frank had been fearing for his life and had requested one of his fellow residents Mr. Charles Forshaw, to hire the detective duo of Greenspan and McArthur to look into matters if anything untoward ever occurred. The search for the truth involves deep dive into the family histories, of more than one person linked to the victim dating back to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany. Adding to the intrigue are two unidentified individuals who appear to be members of an avenging vigilante group communicating on the Dark Web (under the aliases of Bosszuallo and Msciciel) , the gardener with a shady past , a criminal kingpin who has a history with Frank, an antiques dealer who is a friend of the residents and who was instrumental in recognizing the historical significance of the murder weapon and a crew of retired actors whose efforts to contribute towards identifying the killer lead to some humorous and some shocking moments.
An Antique Murder by Norman Russell is an intriguing mystery with an interesting cast of characters and a well-woven plot. The pace was a bit slow in the beginning and it took a bit of effort to keep track of the many characters integral to the plot . The pace picks up in the latter half of the novel and though some of the twists were not too hard to foresee, the manner in which the mystery is unraveled does have an element of surprise. Overall, this is an enjoyable read that holds your attention till the very end. This is the second in a series of novels featuring DI Paul French and DS. Glyn Edwards, but can very well be enjoyed as a standalone novel. Seeing as how much I enjoyed this story , I would love to read the first book in the series as well.
Thanks to NetGalley and Joffe Books for an eARC of this engaging cozy mystery in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
annarella's review
4.0
Another entertaining and compelling mystery by this author.
I liked the setting, the vivid background, and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the setting, the vivid background, and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
m3l89's review
4.0
A cosy mystery with a Nazi twist. I really enjoyed this quick read. An Antique Murder was the second book in the series by Norman Russell, but I read as a stand-alone.
thesleepyreader79's review
5.0
When I requested this book, I did not realize that it was book #2 in a series, however, even with it being a part of a series, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Sir Frank Taylor is a famous, retired British actor, living in the Irving Home for Retired Actors. At 94, he's not in good health, cancer and a deep fear that his life will be snuffed out by an assassin. HIs fears come true when he is found murdered, an authentic SS Nazi dagger sticking out of his chest. What is the connection between this dagger and Mr. Taylor?
DI Paul French and DS Glyn Edwards are sent out to investigate his murder. They immediately surmise that it couldn't have been an outsider but instead had to be someone on the inside due to the intense security measures taken around the retirement home. The detectives start asking around and as they progress the plot thickens. The search for the truth involves delving into one the worst and most heinous times in world history. Long held secrets, that have been hidden are forced to the surface and threaten to destroy more than one life.
I found this to be a really intriguing story. With rich background stories on the plot, blending both modern times and historic WWII.I felt the pacing was slow in the beginning but picked up about 1/2 way through. Since the book is set in England and involves a lot of German words as well as a few other languages, it was nice to have a glossary at the end of the book. Several times throughout, I thought I had the killer pegged, only to discover at the end that I was wrong. I love a good twist and to be surprised in my mysteries and this story did not disappoint. Knowing now that this is a series, I am looking forward to reading the first book. I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.
Sir Frank Taylor is a famous, retired British actor, living in the Irving Home for Retired Actors. At 94, he's not in good health, cancer and a deep fear that his life will be snuffed out by an assassin. HIs fears come true when he is found murdered, an authentic SS Nazi dagger sticking out of his chest. What is the connection between this dagger and Mr. Taylor?
DI Paul French and DS Glyn Edwards are sent out to investigate his murder. They immediately surmise that it couldn't have been an outsider but instead had to be someone on the inside due to the intense security measures taken around the retirement home. The detectives start asking around and as they progress the plot thickens. The search for the truth involves delving into one the worst and most heinous times in world history. Long held secrets, that have been hidden are forced to the surface and threaten to destroy more than one life.
I found this to be a really intriguing story. With rich background stories on the plot, blending both modern times and historic WWII.I felt the pacing was slow in the beginning but picked up about 1/2 way through. Since the book is set in England and involves a lot of German words as well as a few other languages, it was nice to have a glossary at the end of the book. Several times throughout, I thought I had the killer pegged, only to discover at the end that I was wrong. I love a good twist and to be surprised in my mysteries and this story did not disappoint. Knowing now that this is a series, I am looking forward to reading the first book. I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.
vesper1931's review
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
The quiet of the Irving Home for Retired Actors is broken by the death of one of the guests, stabbed.
D.I. Paul French and D.S. Glyn Edwards investigate. But who was Sir Frank Taylor, what was his history.
For me the police seemed a bit slow to conclude who he really was. But overall an interesting story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
D.I. Paul French and D.S. Glyn Edwards investigate. But who was Sir Frank Taylor, what was his history.
For me the police seemed a bit slow to conclude who he really was. But overall an interesting story.
An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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