Posted on by Maureen

Murder at Rough Point by Alyssa Maxwell

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

At the end of last year, I received an opportunity to read Murder Most Malicious– the first book in Alyssa Maxwell’s A Lady and Lady’s Maid historical mystery series. It was a wonderful book, so when the opportunity arose to read the latest entry in her Gilded Newport series, I was excited.

Murder at Rough Point is the fourth book in the Gilded Newport series. I have not read any of the other books, and this may have put me at a disadvantage. As the story begins, reporter (and shabby Vanderbilt cousin) Emma Cross is sent to cover a house party at one of the Newport “cottages”. The guests are an eclectic mix of artists, including Edith Wharton and her brooding husband Teddy.

When a guest turns up dead at the bottom of the cliff, it appears to be a suicide. But when a second guest is also found dead, it cannot be denied that there may be a more sinister force at play. It’s up to Emma to figure out who is committing these crimes; could she be next if she asks too many questions? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen

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I have been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s books for a couple of years, and I always look forward to new releases. All of her books are lovely, but I must admit that her Royal Spyness series is my favorite. If you’re not familiar with this series, here’s a brief explanation: the books take place in 1930s England, and Georgiana Rannoch is 35th in line for the throne. She is an astute young woman, and she often receives royal requests for help. Of course, one cannot refuse the Queen of England. Georgie has all sorts of adventures, and solves mysteries.

Crowned and Dangerous is the 10th book in the Royal Spyness series. When we last encountered our heroine Georgie, she was attending the wedding of her cousin Prince George to Princess Marina. As the story begins, she has been swept away by her enigmatic beau Darcy O’Mara, who after several years of casual dating, intends to take her to Gretna Green and marry her.

Alas, fate intervenes and Darcy sees a newspaper bearing grim tidings: his father, Lord Kilhenny has been arrested for the murder of the wealthy American man who bought the Kilhenny estate several years ago. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards

51ulnmhfqdlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical mysteries, especially those set in the 19th century. I tend to prefer books set in England, but I was excited about the opportunity to read An Untimely Frost, which is set in 1881 Illinois. This is the first book in a new series by Penny Richards.

Lilly Long is an accomplished actress, who has spent most of her young life performing with a traveling theatre troupe. The book begins with the dramatic revelation that her new husband is a cheat and a con man, who assaults her and flees with her life savings.

Lilly is the impulsive type, so when she sees that the famous Pinkerton Agency is hiring, she sees an opportunity for a new career. Her employers are naturally skeptical that such a young woman would be able to handle the rigorous nature of being a detective, but Lilly points out that her skillset as an actress would prove useful in the field of private detection. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

51im2bhf5szlMy absolute favorite book genre is boarding school stories, and also I love Sherlock Holmes stories and spinoffs… so I was very excited about A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. This YA novel is the first in a planned trilogy about a new Holmes and Watson pairing.

Jamie Watson is an English boy at an American boarding school- the same school that Charlotte Holmes attends. They are the descendants of the famous Holmes and Watson, and Charlotte has been demonstrating her aptitude for sleuthing since she was a child. Jamie, however, has not had any opportunities to sleuth, and he feels simultaneously awkward and excited when that opportunity arises unexpectedly.

A student is found dead- a rather nasty fellow- one whom both Jamie and Charlotte had negative encounters with in the very recent past. So, in order to avoid implication in the boy’s death, Holmes and Watson must try to solve the case. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale

51qebdodpflI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy reading about Victorian history, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale. This is my first experience with her, and I will definitely look for her other Victorian books in the future!

During the summer of 1895, a pair of brothers named Robert and Nattie Coombes told their neighbors and relatives that their mother had gone away for awhile. They invited a family friend to stay with them for company; instead of staying in the upstairs bedrooms, they camped out downstairs. They took trips to Lord’s to see a cricket match, and they sent their family friend to pawn some household items. Eventually, relatives began to doubt the veracity of the boys’ tale and entered the locked bedroom. Mrs. Coombes was found dead, and the boys were arrested for murder. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Oh Danny Boy by Rhys Bowen

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I have been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s book for a couple of years. I discovered her Royal Spyness series first, but I also enjoy her Molly Murphy mysteries. I have read all of the Royal Spyness books and most of the more recently published Molly Murphy mysteries, so now I am going back and reading more some of the earlier Molly Murphy books.

Oh Danny Boy picks up several weeks after the events of the previous book, In Like Flynn. Molly is trying to return to her normal life, but she has not had much success in finding cases for her fledgling detective business. She is also busy ignoring the letters from Captain Daniel Sullivan of the New York Police; he was a bit of a cad in the last book.

Molly learns that Daniel has been attempting to contact her because he has been arrested on charges of fraud and collaborating with a gang. Daniel insists that he is innocent, and that Molly is the only person that can help him because the force has turned against him. As Molly probes into the events that led up to the arrest, she begins to wonder if the perpetrator needed to silence Daniel. Could there be a connection between Daniel’s predicament and a killer who is targeting prostitutes. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

In Like Flynn by Rhys Bowen

51tgujvjeilI have been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s book for a couple of years. I first discovered her Royal Spyness series, but I also enjoy her Molly Murphy mysteries. I have read all of the Royal Spyness books and most of the more recently published Molly Murphy mysteries, so now I am going back and reading more some of the earlier Molly Murphy books.

Molly Murphy is a young Irish immigrant living in New York City in the early 1900s. She has decided to be a private detective, but this is not an easy job for a woman at the time. As In Like Flynn begins, Molly receives an opportunity to spend part of the summer at Senator Flynn’s grand estate on the Hudson. Her friend, police captain Daniel Sullivan, needs help exposing a pair of spiritualists, and the easiest way to do this is for Molly to pose as Senator Flynn’s distant cousin from Ireland. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Underdogs by Sara Hammel

51k6b112r5lI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My oldest daughter is nine years old, and she and I are very fortunate to have received the opportunity to read ARCs of some middle grade books. When I first read the synopsis of Sara Hammel’s The Underdogs, I knew that I would like it, but I wasn’t sure how my daughter would react. She tends to be a sensitive soul, but we had enjoyed reading Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter– which is also about a murder mystery- so I gave it a shot.

Chelsea and Evie are best friends, who spend their days together at a tennis club. Chelsea’s mom works at the front desk, and Evie’s dad is a tennis pro. Their club is rocked to its core when one of the most popular members is found murdered. Annabel Harper was beautiful and vivacious, and did not seem to have any enemies. Chelsea and Evie are stunned, and they decide that it’s up to them to help the police solve the case. As they follow the detective around the club, the two girls discover that the club holds many secrets- but none of these secrets seem to lead the girls any closer to discovering who could have killed Annabel. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

For the Love of Mike by Rhys Bowen

91arjrhqfplI have been enjoying Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy mystery series for a couple of years. These books follow young Irish immigrant Molly Murphy who works as a detective in turn of the century New York City. I started reading this series after discovering the Royal Spyness books, which are one of Bowen’s other series. I’ve been reading the books out of order; I’ve read all of the recent ones, and now I’m going back to the beginning of the series.

For The Love of Mike is the third book in the Molly Murphy series. Molly is quickly realizing that it is a lot more difficult for a woman to be a private investigator, but feels fortunate when she receives requests for help with two very different cases. The first case comes at the request of a garment factory owner. He suspects that a rival has been stealing his designs, and he needs Molly’s help to figure out how this is happening. Molly must infiltrate the factory and work as a garment worker. This is difficult work, and does not leave Molly much time to work on her second case: an English gentleman has written to her requesting help locating his daughter. The young woman ran away from the family’s Irish estate with a charismatic household servant. How can Molly find one missing girl in such a huge city? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

A Front Page Affair by Radha Vatsal

51rvpl02bwnlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction, and I love mysteries. I was very excited about the opportunity to read A Front Page Affair, which is the first book in a new series by Radha Vatsal. Capability “Kitty” Weeks works for a newspaper, but she has been relegated to covering “women’s” news. She is sent to cover a Society party, and one of the guests turns up dead in the stables. As Kitty retraces her steps and the events of that evening, she realizes that the details are not adding up. The situation is much more complicated, and might compromise national security. Read more