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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Didn't particularly enjoy this one, half the book was filled with Georgie wanting to say "Golly!", restraining herself from saying it out loud, saying it out loud anyways and then admonishing herself. The author tried to weave in numerous plots but it turned out to be a disaster and left a lot of loose ends.
There’s an author’s note at the beginning of the book that’s basically like, “Don’t hate this book because its 1930s British aristocracy characters are racist.” And although I don’t love that, I can set aside my feelings and allow for some historical “realism,” if it’s done well enough.
Buuuuuuut then there’s a sloppy deus ex machina where an African character is given a motive and confesses in the span of a page about 10 pages from the end. That’s lazy. And kinda racist in a way that isn’t excused by an author’s note.
And then we learn, via a historical note after the last page, that this murder is based on a real unsolved murder which was never “satisfactorily” solved. So now you’re pinning real murders on the Maasai, based on ... what? And I know it’s fiction, but now it just seems like maybe this was a way to act out some racist feelings you have.
So it wasn’t great to begin with, plus the lazy conclusion, plus the feeling this is a racist fantasy, one star.
Buuuuuuut then there’s a sloppy deus ex machina where an African character is given a motive and confesses in the span of a page about 10 pages from the end. That’s lazy. And kinda racist in a way that isn’t excused by an author’s note.
And then we learn, via a historical note after the last page, that this murder is based on a real unsolved murder which was never “satisfactorily” solved. So now you’re pinning real murders on the Maasai, based on ... what? And I know it’s fiction, but now it just seems like maybe this was a way to act out some racist feelings you have.
So it wasn’t great to begin with, plus the lazy conclusion, plus the feeling this is a racist fantasy, one star.
This was probably my favorite of the series thus far. Interesting mystery, exotic locale, and history I was unfamiliar with. Be sure to read the author’s note in the beginning of the book; 1935 aristocracy in native Kenya was not kind.
3.5 stars
This cozy mystery was the most recent installment of a series I have read over the last year. It’s mindless and harmless and predictable (in that there’s a happy ending...the solving of the mystery is sometimes obvious and sometimes not to me), but it was a quick read and a distraction that I needed this past weekend.
Georgie and Darcy got married and are now honeymooning. Darcy surprises his wife with a trip to Kenya, which of course has something to do with his mysterious “assignments” he takes on for Scotland Yard. There’s some scandal and a murder and many of the prior traits from the other books, but this time among the wilds of Kenya in the 1930s.
Nice easy read.
This cozy mystery was the most recent installment of a series I have read over the last year. It’s mindless and harmless and predictable (in that there’s a happy ending...the solving of the mystery is sometimes obvious and sometimes not to me), but it was a quick read and a distraction that I needed this past weekend.
Georgie and Darcy got married and are now honeymooning. Darcy surprises his wife with a trip to Kenya, which of course has something to do with his mysterious “assignments” he takes on for Scotland Yard. There’s some scandal and a murder and many of the prior traits from the other books, but this time among the wilds of Kenya in the 1930s.
Nice easy read.
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
mysterious
slow-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Well there's certainly never a dull moment with Georgie around. It is the summer of 1935 and newly weds Georgie and Darcy are enjoying their honeymoon on a boat docked on a quiet river. Unfortunately for the love birds they are starting to run low on supplies and a craving for cucumber sandwiches might put an early end to the honeymoon. Georgie is somewhat disappointed after all Darcy had promised her an exotic trip for their honeymoon. A few days after returning home during a royal garden party Darcy announces he is taking them to Kenya, and by aeroplane no less! The queen also asks Georgie to keep an eye on her eldest son David who is touring Africa. So far his love interest the newly divorced Mrs. Simpson is nowhere near him, but she fears they will sneak off and marry. So it's off to Kenya they go. On the flight to Georgie's dismay they meet Mrs. Simpson as well as her former school bully Rowena and her twin Rupert who are heading out to see their father the newly crowned Lord Cheriton, a man they haven't seen since they were four years old. Upon arrival Georgie learns that this was also a work trip for her husband and is not terribly amused at first. They are soon swept up in the wild lifestyles of the small community known as the Happy Valley. Included in this are the infamous Idina Sackville also known as the bolter. Following a rather wild party a mortified Georgie and Darcy flee early in the morning only to discover Lord Cheriton dead in what at first appears to be an animal attack, but is soon revealed to be murder. There are many suspects. Could it be his wealthy American wife who hates Africa and only wants to go home? His children who might want their inheritance now? A husband to one of the women that he slept with? A disgruntled servant? Throw into the mix a jewel thief Nazi sympathizers and a possible movement by the local natives to get rid of the oppressive British regime and you have another engaging fun entry to the series. The only thing missing was Queenie. Queenie in Africa would've been amazing, but otherwise no complaints here.
I love Georgie. She is the best ever. The books are whimsical and contain a bit of history that has any curious reader opening up wiki to discover more about the background.
Arghhh this addition in the series was such a disappointment to read. I just finished the previous book and it was one of my all time favorites but this one was on the other spectrum. Which shows to me I can love the main character but the setting can hugely affect my feelings of it. Georgina and Darcy are going on a safari for their honeymoon but soon there she realizes that her new husband has another reason for wanting to head to Africa. Darcy is looking into a series of jewelry thefts and thinks that someone that is staying in the same area is the guilty party. Soon there is a dead body and Georgie is trying to figure out who amongst them did it. The biggest problem for me is that we have an info dump of characters in the first 50 pages and I never was able to connect with them or really remember who was who. I missed all of the repeat supporting characters that I am used to. I will keep up with the series but this one was my least favorite hands down.