Tag Archives: mystery

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As the Crow Flies by Damien Boyd & Uncommon Grounds by Sandra Balzo

crow  grounds

Sitting home with a leg in a cast has at least let me do some reading!  Both of these were this month’s selections from book clubs.

As the Crow Flies is the selection for the Kindle English Mystery Club on Goodreads for the month of April.  This is the first book in which we meet DI Dixon.  DI Dixon has relocated from a more prestigious posting to a small outpost, much to the dismay of his family and the confusion of his new colleagues.  DI Dixon is a former rock climber and rock climbing is the back drop for this thriller.

Dixon is called to investigate a death of a former rock climbing partner, Jake, by Jake’s parents. The opening scene of the book is actually Jake’s death in a tremendous fall.   The first few paragraphs worried me a little because of all the climbing jargon.  I wondered if I would be able to read it, but it was pretty easy to catch on to and the pace of the book swept me along.

The mystery takes a few twists and turns and several probable theories of the crime are put forth.  Dixon is an intelligent sleuth, who manages to be smarter than most of those around him but does not come across as arrogant about it.  As a reader, I can understand his family’s dismay at his apparently throwing away his shot at a more promising career for life in “the slow lane”.  On the way to solving the main mystery, Jake’s death, there are other cases that may or may not be connected and that Dixon tackles proving his worth as a sleuth.

Very fast paced mystery making for a quick read. It definitely kept me turning the pages.  My only critique is that the book is too short, I got to the end too quickly.  However, better a little  short than stuffed with unneeded filler.

Uncommon Grounds is the selection for the Cozy Mystery Corner Group on Goodreads.  This is the first in a cozy series based around a coffee shop.  Maggy Thompson, partner in a coffee shop venture to the murder victim Patricia Harper, takes her turn as a sleuth to solve Patricia’s death.

I read another coffee shop based mystery, Cleo Coyle’s Coffee House Mystery series and could not help making comparisons between the two. Unfortunately  Uncommon Grounds comes out the loser in this comparison. Maggy is no Clare Cosi.  In fact, Maggy seems to have entered into a business venture with someone she knows very little about or is just woefully uninformed and didn’t care to investigate.  Wouldn’t the fact that your new business partner was the member of some cult like church be of concern to the average person?

I will just leave it with this book didn’t work for me.

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Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride

  Just finished Cold Granite from Stuart MacBride.  I picked it up on offer for my Kindle one month when another Stuart MacBride book, Birthdays for the Dead was the monthly read.

This is book one in the Logan McRae series.  DS McRae has just returned to work after a year off.  He gets swept up into a case(s) involving murdered and assaulted children.  He is just trying to find his footing again, with a new partner of sorts, WPC Watson (as an aside, he is attracted to her but this is not a romance).  This is a police procedural and thriller first and foremost.

Well written and staffed with characters who have depth to them, complex motivations and histories. The reader sees DS McRae’s doubts, his fears that he is not up to the job yet, his insecurity in working with a new DI, and his conflicted feelings about his ex, Isobel, the pathologist.  His ability to deal with all of this and then the gruesome details of the crimes and the criminals makes him a great protagonist. McRae is methodical, a thinking man’s sleuth.  He makes connections between the cases and sees where there are no connections.  It makes for very engaging reading.

There are more than the average number of twists and turns built into the mystery plot here.  Everytime you think you have it solved, another curveball comes out of the blue and McRae leads you charging off in a new direction.  In the end, all the plots are untangled and all the loose ends are tied.

This was my first outing with Stuart MacBride and I am so glad that I was introduced to his writing by the Kindle English Mystery Club.  I will certainly read more by this author!

 

 

 

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Inherit the Word by Daryl Wood Gerber & Garnethill by Denise Mina

garnethill inherit

 

I had been waiting for some time for the second outing in the “A Cookbook Nook Mystery” series and it does not disappoint.  Jenna Hart, the protagonist, is still working at her Cookbook shop, hosting a community grill off event, grieving for her “dead” husband and, of course, sleuthing.

The mystery revolves around a murder at the competition and involves many recurring characters from book one.  After a rocky start in book one, Jenna and Cinnamon, the local Police Chief, have a tentative new friendship.  The Mayor Zeller returns again in this book and features prominently in it.  Many of the other locals are included as well.

The characters are interesting and many of them seem like people you could know in real life.  There are lots of possible culprits to choose from and the plot takes the reader through many twists and turns.  The mystery plot is two-fold, the current murder mystery and a continuing plot from book one about David, Jenna’s dead (maybe missing??) husband.  I am eager to read the next in this series.

Garnethill is a book that was chosen as a group read for my Kindle English Mystery Book Club on Goodreads.  I have never read anything by this author, Denise Mina before this book.

Garnethill is about an incest survivor who wakes up and finds her married boyfriend murdered in her living room.  She was institutionalized briefly in the past and the book is as much about her attempt to hold onto her sanity as it is solving the murder.

The positives about this book are that it has a well done mystery, with enough characters to keep you guessing and twists and turns throughout the plot.  The pacing is good and it kept me turning the pages in a race to get to the end.  The setting is particularly well done, in description and in setting the mood of the book.  It has a well developed sense of place as the reader follows Maureen to institutions, her family home, the police station, and day centers.

I found the portrayal of Maureen O’Donnell, incest survivor, mental health patient, and adult child of an alcoholic to be extraordinarily perceptive and full of the nuances necessary to make it real.  Maureen is a study in contradictions, doubting herself and unable to trust others. Distrustful of authority figures, morally “flexible” – yet with a sense of right and wrong, intelligent yet with no ambition, craving independence yet feeling lonely…all of the things that come from being violated as a child and not having your emotional needs met in childhood.  This is the best part of the book for me.

The main negative that I could find about this book is the portrayal of the police.  It is a very stereotypical, cartoon-like characterization.  It seemed we were supposed to side with Maureen in the interviews, but I could definitely see the police’s perspective.  The body is found in her flat.  Her behavior is odd, to say the least, she lied time and again (and got caught), and she came across as manipulative or even criminal.  This part of the book is not up to the standards of the rest of the book.  It seems like an adolescent take on authority – they are authority figures, hence they must be bad/incompetent/uncaring.

A final word to the wise, as I was not aware of this when I read the book, it is book one in a trilogy, so there are some things left unresolved.  The good thing is that there was enough great stuff here that I will probably read the next two books anyway.

 

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Echoes From the Dead by Johan Theorin

 

I picked this up based on a Goodreads recommendation and my local library had it.  This is a Swedish mystery translated into English.  I think that this accounts for the fact that the dialogue seems stilted at times, probably a translation issue not a writing issue.

If you are looking for fast paced thriller, this is not the book for you.  This moves at a much more sedate and at times non-linear pace. The focus is more on the after effects of the crime over time.  The central crime is the disappearance and assumed murder of a young child that occurred 20 years in the past.

The case is reopened with the appearance of one of the child’s sandals.  This brings the mother back to the “scene of the crime” and reunites the local people who were around at the time of the child’s disappearance.  Nothing is as it seems, the resolution is not what I expected and it was good to see that it was not a stereotypical child abduction/pedophile story.

The mother, Julia, reunites with her father in the course of investigating the new evidence.  The writer did an excellent job with the depiction of loss and depression that follows in the wake of a child’s disappearance.  I could completely relate to Julia’s issues with not being able to “let go” or move on from the loss of Jens.  I have always imagined that having a child disappear without a trace would be worse than a situation in which you know they are dead.  The not knowing would drive me mad, in Julia’s case she hangs on to her sanity with the aid of drink and isolation.

My only criticism would be that the ending or reveal seemed somewhat abrupt, however I have since realized that this is book one in a quartet so that is maybe to be expected.

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The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe

 

Not even sure why I checked out this one, maybe a Goodreads recommendation?? Anyway, I picked it up from the library.  This is a Canadian based series, similar to Louise Penny’s series that is so popular.

I really wanted to like this.  I had a lot of sympathy for the protagonist, a Detective Inspector with a chronic pain injury, recently divorced and dealing with some issues related to alcohol and to not being able to let of her ex.  Hazel is a well drawn character, however her actions and even attitudes don’t always make a whole lot of sense, especially when you think of her as a law enforcement professional.  Maybe it was all the drugs she takes for her pain?  There is a token gay character, who has a reveal scene that really adds nothing to the plot and seems just meaningless, like a box to be checked.

The whole law enforcement/procedural piece is very unflattering to Canadian law enforcement.  The serial killer piece is confusing, slowly paced and not entirely clear even at the resolution.  For a killer with an interesting, to say the least, method of “work”, it was just not that engaging.

I understand that this is work written by a literary writer under a pseudonym, but it just didn’t really work for me.

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Murder Strikes a Pose by Tracy Weber

 

Finally! My copy came in to my local bookshop.  This is the first in a new yoga themed cozy mystery.  The series opens with the reader meeting Kate, a yoga studio owner, who has a run-in with a homeless man and his dog Bella.  Eventually, they become friends or at least Kate tolerates George and Bella’s presence outside her studio.  George is murdered and Kate can’t just let it be written off as a dispute between the homeless, which is what it seems the local police are doing.

She investigates with her sometimes side kick, Rene, and Bella, George’s dog.  Along the way, she meets Michael, the owner of Pete’s Pets, and a romantic interest.  There is a lot of investigation and quite a few leads and suspects.  The mystery is very well crafted.  The main characters are all developed and realistic.

I really appreciated the urban setting, which is very different from the average cozy.  This is very reminiscent of the urban setting in Kerry Greenwood’s Corina Chapman series, which I love.  Very different characters, themes and settings, but both series have a similar contemporary urban feel.

 

The mystery plot and the yoga theme flow seamlessly together.  The theme does not overwhelm the mystery plot or the characters.  A fun, well written first in a new  mystery series.  I’d recommend it to anyone who likes cozies, especially ones with a more contemporary feel.  I am definitely going to be looking forward to the next one in this series.

 

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Ellery Adams Writing as J.B. Stanley

I really love this A Supper Club Mystery Series written by Ellery Adams as J.B. Stanley.  I definitely find it one of the better food based cozies.  I finished these two in the last couple days.   Chili con Corpses is book 3 and Stiffs and Swine is book 4 of the series.  I enjoyed both of the books, in particular I love the character of James, the professor turned small town librarian.  Between books 3 and 4, there are lots of romantic ups and downs, not just for James, as well as mysteries to solve.

In book 3, the supper club joins a Mexican cooking class and soon gets involved in a case involving poisoned food and murder.  This book also introduced a new charming character in the form of Milla, the cooking school teacher.  Interesting mystery with plenty of characters to place the blame on and investigate.

In Stiffs and Swine, James and the supper club are asked to judge a BBQ and pig beauty contest.  The mystery was well crafted and the setting certainly well defined, but what really stood out in this book were the developments in the personal lives of the Supper club members.  James, especially, has some hard decisions to make by the end of the book.

This is definitely a well written series with mysteries that are fun and interesting to follow along with to the resolution.  One of the strongest features of these books is the growth the characters show over time.  These are not static characters and I really appreciate that.  James seems to be growing in self confidence, as he shrinks in size!

I look forward to reading the next books in the A Supper Club Mystery series.

 

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A Broth of Betrayal & A Question of Proof

I read these two in between packing for a move, shopping and having my daughter home from college.  A Broth of Betrayal is the second in A Soup Lover’s Mystery series. I am really enjoying this series.  The main character, Lucky, is charming and her grandfather, Jack, seems to have recovered nicely from his issues in the first book.  The mystery plot was very well done, combining murder(s), assault and a kidnapping of the town mayor and Lucky’s good friend, Elizabeth.  I really liked the plot in this outing of the series.  Definitely, a series I will be continuing to follow.

A Question of Proof by Nicholas Blake is the first book in the Nigel Strangeways series.  This involved a very proper British boys school with all the backstabbing and machinations that can evolve in these close knit communities.  A murder occurs and there is a multitude of suspects to consider, many who have good reasons for lying.  I found this a little slow to start and slow reading with all the period slang and references.  There was some humor and the sleuthing follows a logical approach to investigation.  I found the ending flat, almost anti-climatic with everything that had been exposed throughout the story.  I’m not sure that I will read any others in this series.  Perhaps fans of very period specific mysteries will enjoy it.

 

 

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On the Slam by Honor Hartman & Mayhem at the Orient Express by Kylie Logan

I have read the two other series written by Dean James/Miranda James/Honor Hartman and enjoyed every book.  I have recommended them to my few cozy reading friends, they were so good. I finally got to this series under the name of Honor Hartman, A Bridge Club Mystery series.

On the Slam is another delightful cozy mystery.  I used to play Bridge years ago, along with several other card games, but I don’t know anyone who plays anymore. Reading this quick, fun cozy brought it all back for me.  I actually went on  Meetups to see if there were any local Bridge clubs I could join, alas there were none.  I will have to get my fix vicariously through this series.

The main character, Emma Diamond, is a widow, who recently moved into the neighborhood to be close to an old friend.  There is a neighborhood bridge club and at the first meeting that Emma  attends there is a murder.  Emma and her Bridge playing sidekicks, jump into the investigation.  The character of Emma is likeable and interesting.  She is still grieving her husband, but not in the woe is me self pitying way.  She seems to have too much self respect for that.

There are interesting suspects and twists and turns on the way to a neat resolution.  There are some hints of romance, not necessarily for Emma.  There are also typical neighborhood gossips, cats, and dogs to round out the story.

Highly recommended cozy.  I’m off to order the rest of the series.

Mayhem at the Orient Express, is a relatively new series from author Kylie Logan, who also writes the Button Box mysteries, which are quite good.  In this series, there is a team of sleuths, Bea Cartwright, Chandra Morrisey and Kate Wilder.  They are also neighbors and end up together due to the fact that they cannot get along and the local judge is fed up with it.

Sentenced to a book club and to reading Murder on the Orient Express, the women put aside their differences in the face of a real murder at their much loved local Chinese restaurant, The Orient Express. The story line runs many parallels to Christie’s work, which makes it a wonderful read for Christie fans.  The female leads are very different and there is someone for everyone to relate to.  Bea is the B & B owner with the mysterious past, Kate is the consummate business woman, and Chandra is the holistic healer, earth mother type.

I really enjoyed all the characters, the ties to Christie’s work and the mystery itself.  A fun, quick read for cozy mystery fans.  I am sure I will read more in this series.

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Oldies But Goodies…

I read a great deal of Agatha Christie when I was young, but I missed these two classic mystery authors.  Ngaio Marsh’s A Man Lay Dead was first published in 1934.  This is the first book in the series that introduces Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn, who is the sleuth.  I actually found this book very timely.  In current crime fiction and tv shows there is a plethora of references to the Russian Mob and that theme features heavily in this story.  It is a classic British “country house” mystery, the group of people gather in an isolated country estate and then a murder occurs.  The red herrings are very well done and this is delightful read!

The characters engage in witty banter and the manners and customs of the times feature prominently in the story.  Even though  I have read many of these type of mysteries this one certainly holds it own.  I did find it interesting that the focus seemed to be mainly on Nigel, one of the guests and not necessarily on the sleuth, but I suppose that is because this was the first in the series.  I understand that the plots in this series become more complicated in later books.

Dorothy L. Sayers was the focus of a current mystery book I read, The Sayers Swindle.  That peaked my interest in this classic mystery series.  Whose Body? is the first book introducing the Lord Peter Wimsey. First published in 1923, the series continued on for several years with Lord Peter Wimsey becoming a beloved character for many readers.

I found the book to have more of a humorous bent (whether intentional or not) than the Ngaio Marsh books.  I was not as enamored of the writing style, extremely dialogue heavy and correspondence with very little description or narration.  Still the mystery was well crafted and the sleuthing was certainly masterful.  This just didn’t work for me as well as Christie’s works or Ngaio Marsh’s.  The books certainly have a legion of fans so it is probably just me.