carolsnotebook's reviews
1610 reviews

A Victim at Valentine's by Ellie Alexander

lighthearted mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

 

The Secret Bookcase Mysteries is one of those series with an overarching plot that hasn’t been resolved yet. That is both my least favorite thing about the series and why this one doesn’t work well as a stand-alone. Annie’s best friend, Scarlet, was killed over a decade ago, but Annie has some new information and is working on solving the cold case. I’m just not a fan of those overarching mysteries.

Annie’s works full-time at a bookstore, where part of her job is coordinating events. For Valentine’s Day, the store has teamed up with a matchmaker for a weekend of books and romantic events. Early the morning of the second day, a well-liked member of the community is found dead near the store. While the event continues as planned, Annie is determined to help the local detective, Dr. Caldwell, discover who the killer is.

The mystery is fine. The plot moves along well. We have three potential suspects and a few red herrings, but it’s not too difficult to guess the killer. It’s still fun seeing Annie and her friends get to the solution.

I listened to the audio. It’s an easy book to listen to while walking the dog or doing chores. The narrator’s tone is appropriate to the story and the characters are easy to distinguish. Overall, it’s a fun, light series and I enjoyed the touch of Valentine’s in this one. 

A Death in Diamonds by S.J. Bennett

mysterious

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

 

I’ve read this series from the beginning and thoroughly enjoy seeing Queen Elizabeth II as an amateur sleuth. She knows people well and has access to a lot of information but needs her assistant private secretary to do most of the legwork. This time around we’ve gone back in time to the late 50s. It’s early in the Queen’s reign and she has two young children. She and Prince Phillip have been married about 10 years and their marriage has more stressors than most, one being that a club Prince Phillip attends has been connected to a murder.

Joan, the assistant private secretary, is bold, resourceful, and intelligent. She is the only one the Queen can truly trust, since in addition to the murder case, they are trying to figure out which of the Queen’s advisors has been attempting to sabotage her trips abroad.

The peeks into royal life are fun. The queen visits a few other countries in this one and it’s interesting to get a fictional look behind what the cameras show. Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother are around, adding humor and bringing out the personal side of the Queen.

The post-war setting was interesting, with the places and famous people. The attitude of the times also left the Queen and Joan underestimated by the mustached men. They use it to their advantage but it had to be frustrating.

The mystery is good, with several suspects and red herrings. The police are making little progress, which is why the Queen decides she need to find information to help prod them along.

I listened to the audio and the narrator did a wonderful job. The characters were distinct and the pacing was good. She handled the humor well and made the Queen kind and relatable and solid and practical. She really is a fabulous character.

Looks like the next in the series will take place in 1961. I’m looking forward to Joan and the Queen solving another murder. 

The Antique Hunter's Death on the Red Sea by C.L. Miller

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

 

The Antique Hunter’s Death on the Red Sea is the second in the series and it’s probably better to read them in order. You’ll get a better feel for the characters and why Freya ends up in her current position.

We learned in the first book that Freya and her Aunt Carole inherited Arthur Crockleford’s antique shop when he was murdered. They are also trying to continue his project of hunting down stolen treasurers and making sure they’re returned to their rightful owners. Freya and Carole have officially founded “The Lockwood Antique Hunter’s Agency,” and the first case that comes their way is a painting that was stolen from a small semi-local Maritime Museum was stolen. The police are concentrating on the murder that accompanied the theft and the museum volunteer is afraid the painting will be forgotten. It turns out Arthur had donated the painting to the museum, making it even more interesting to Carole and Freya. The two follow the trail and end up on a specialty cruise, filled with Antiques Roadshow type celebrities, lesser known art experts, collectors, and a private collection of marine-themed exhibits. And an undercover FBI art crimes agent, Phil from book #1, they happen to recognize.

Of course it’s not smooth sailing. Turns out there’s something big happening on board. The legendary “Collector,” infamous on the black market, is turning over the reigns of his empire to a successor. Maybe Freya, Carole, and Phil can take down the whole operation.

There’s a lot going on and few people aboard the shop are who they seem to be. Freya and Carole are not just dealing with murder, stolen antiquities and blackmail – someone is determined to find out what the pair know and will take whatever means necessary to get the information.

We have some great characters here. Freya is dedicated and determined, if a bit naive. Carole is full of life, a bit eccentric and nosy, but more intelligent than she wants people to think. There are several other fabulous women characters, both good and bad and in-between. And we get some lessons on antiques, which I found interesting. The author clearly understands antiques and the world that revolves around them.

I’m looking forward to the next in the series, especially now that Freya and Carole have a group around them that they can trust. 

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

4.75

Bait and Swiss: A Cheese Shop Mystery by Korina Moss

fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

4.0

 

Curds & Whey has only been open two years and Willa needs to solve a sixth murder.

Willa’s ex-fiancé, Pierce, and his partner, Willa’s former best friend, Riley, have opened a pop-up chocolate shop in the town’s revamped bakery. Willa is, reasonably in my opinion, angry that the pair has chosen her town for their newest store, but when a reporter is killed by poisoned chocolates, she knows she’s not guilty, even if the police chief isn’t so sure. I felt a little bad for the character who got killed. We met him, saw he was pushy, and then he was dead. There was never much consideration that he was even the intended victim.

The reader has several suspects to look at, although Willa would rather not believe any of them are guilty. And was destroying the business’s reputation the point, or was someone trying to kill AJ, the newspaper editor, or Willa herself? Turns out Pierce is not a very nice guy – no surprise, and not entirely honest. Duncan, the store manager, is unhappy with the contract. The owners of the town’s candy shop aren’t thrilled with the competition. And the bakery’s former bread baker/manager is out of a job due to the change in the bakery’s focus.

As always, I enjoy the friendship and banter between Willa, Archie, Baz, and Mrs. Schultz. Detective Heath annoys me a bit – I wish he could be more supportive, but the ending gives me hope.

I was surprised by who the killer turned out to be, but I probably should have seen it coming.

There are also a couple of recipes in the back that I might try: a creamy dip that sounds perfect for game night and pizza smashed potatoes. 

The Secret of the Three Fates by Jess Armstrong

mysterious fast-paced

4.5

 

The Secret of the Three Fates picks up a few months after the first in the series, The Curse of Penryth Hall, in October of 1922. This one probably works as a stand alone, but you’ll have a much better feel for the characters and appreciate what we learn about their backgrounds here.

This time around, Mr. Owen and Ruby are at a remote manor house in Scotland, supposedly to purchase illuminated manuscripts. Mr. Owen, however, has lied to Ruby and the two of them are actually there to attend a séance- Mr. Owen is hoping to speak to his son, Ben, who died in the War. The séance, hosted by three mediums going by the name of The Three Fates, is frighteningly real. One of the mediums, seemingly possessed by a spirit, delivers an ominous message:

There’s nowhere on earth you can hide from the dead. We have not forgotten … we shall not forgive. The dead know what you’ve done.

When one of the mediums is killed, Ruby and Mr. Owen both become suspects. It turns out Mr. Owen’s past is deeply connected to this piece of Scotland and his secrets will gradually come to light over the course of the book. Thankfully, Ruan, the “pellar”/ witch/ love interest we met in the first book, arrives to help Ruby with the investigation.

The atmosphere is a bit spooky and gothic; it’s a place where ghosts can exist and witches can heal people, a place where people are both skeptical and believing. You can shoot the living, but that may not silence the dead.

I love the characters. Ruby is smart, hard-headed, loyal, and has enough money that she doesn’t have to worry about society’s conventions, at least anymore. Ruan is gentle, but also tough, and a bit of a mystery, even to himself. The chemistry between the two of them is convincing, as are Ruby’s reasons for not wanting to start a relationship. I liked getting to know Mr. Owen a little more, too.

The mystery itself was put together well. The past and the present are so tied together, but I was still surprised at who the killer turned out to be.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to the next in the series. 

Haunting and Homicide by Ava Burke, Ava Burke

mysterious fast-paced

3.5

I love catching a new series at the beginning and Haunting and Homicide is a fun read and a good introduction to Tallulah “Lou” Thatcher and her family and friends, both living and dead. Lou lives with her grandmother in New Orleans and has a business doing ghost tours which makes perfect sense since she has been able to see and talk to ghosts since she was little. When a rival ghost tour guide dies Lou is unfortunate enough to stumble across his body. But now he’s a ghost who begs her to make sure the police find out who killed him. She wants to help and she wants to clear her own name – she found the body, they were clearly not friends, and the murder weapon came from her store.

The mystery is well-written with several twists and surprises. This is Lou’s first outing as an amateur sleuth and she’s not great at it yet, but she does have some help the cops don’t. I had a guess at who the killer was, but it was just a feeling. The ghosts are handled well here, each has their own personality, back story, and abilities. Lou herself is great. She’s lively and a hard worker, she’s loyal and protective of her friends and family. She has a lot going on at home, but deals with it all well, even the parts she’s a little uncomfortable with. I’m hoping she doesn’t end up dating the cop. She’s too good for him. And New Orleans is, as always, a fabulous setting. One of these days I’ll get there.

I listened to the audio and i love the narrator’s Southern accent. She did a good job bringing the characters to life and keeping the tone light even when some difficult issues are discussed.

Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin

mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

 

Paul, still grieving after the loss of his partner and not in a steady job, takes over a cookery class from his old friend, Christian, who has broken his arm. It’s a residential cooking school held in an old mansion in Belgravia, just a short walk from Paul’s own house. Paul is not thrilled with the situation, not only because he has no idea what he’ll be paid, but all of the students are major Christian fans and are disappointed that Paul has taken his place. And then he discovers Christian’s body, clearly murdered, and Paul becomes one of the main suspects.

The mystery’s good enough. Each of the students and even the cooking school owner have secrets and possible motives for wanting Christian dead. We have several clues and a few red herrings. It’s a bit like a house party mystery, especially when Paul ends up having to stay there too. The suspects are limited to those in the house at the time and all the individuals are only loosely connected. I like Paul. He was funny and real. I also liked his best friend, Julie, who works for a lifestyle magazine and sends him daily horoscope texts. The other characters are appropriately quirky.

This is a culinary mystery, so you might pick up some skills, bits or trivia or even a recipe you want to try out. Paul finds Christian’s diary and the entries contain details about his life and several of his recipes. It’s a good way to get to know Christian better and gives a bit of variety to the narrative.

Towards the end, it did go off the rails a bit. And the wrap up, with Paul telling Julie everything that happened was sooo long and detailed. I was listening to the audio – the narrator does an excellent job – and the book ended up finishing at 106% so that might have thrown off my expectations too.

I think this is the first in the series. I will definitely pick up the second when it come out. 

Murder at Raven's Hollow by Louise Marley

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.5

I love visiting Raven’s Edge, a lovely English village that leans into its history and folklore. The series is a bit cozy, a bit police procedural, and a bit Gothic. This time around, DS Harriet March and DI Ben Taylor are called in when a skeleton is discovered behind the florists. Actually, Harriet is already on the scene- she rents the apartment upstairs. Of course, the discovery leads to the reopening of a cold case involving a man who was reported missing over 25 years ago. At the same time, Iris Evergreen, a novelist with a mysterious past, has moved into Raven’s Hollow, a fascinating old mansion, and is asking questions around town about a photo of a man she found in her dead mother’s belongings.

Murder at Raven’s Hollow focuses on Harriet. The case is intricately connected Harriet’s past and her family and what she has always believed about her father. But Iris too is connected. We get glimpses of the past throughout as the secrets are revealed and both women have to confront things they’d rather not. Then another body is found, this one still warm, and the story becomes more complicated.

I can’t put my finger on quite why I enjoy this series so much, but this one is just as good as the first two. The characters are complicated and not spared personal and professional difficulties. The town is picturesque but also eerie. The mystery was complex and kept me guessing. They appreciate history and fairy tales and books. This one probably works as a standalone, but I’m glad I’ve read the three in order. Nothing from the earlier books really comes into play, but it gives a better feel for the relationships and the atmosphere.

Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on aging as a woman by Brooke Shields

hopeful informative inspiring

4.0

 Brooks Shields has been a well-known actor/model my entire life. She’s 9 years older than me and this book about growing older resonated with me in several ways.

Yes, Brooke Shields is famous and beautiful and can afford fancy clothes, but she’s also funny and down to earth and relatable. She shares personal anecdotes and mixes in observation on society and statistics that back up her points. She discusses gaining confidence as she gets older, about worrying less about others’ opinions and finding joy in middle age. But also about being overlooked and undervalued as a “woman of a certain age.”

Shields discusses her recent interactions with the healthcare system and how we need to advocate for ourselves, even if we’re sometimes (often) seen as difficult. She points out, from personal experience and research studies, that there is a definite lack of knowledge surrounding perimenopause and menopause and considering how many women are in those life stages, that’s ridiculous.

Shields narrates the book herself, which was a perfect choice. She can laugh at herself and allow her emotions to come through. I like that she is purposefully still growing, learning, strengthening her body, and focusing on what makes her happy and fulfilled.