Giveaway - A Knife in the Fog - Bradley Harper

Calling all mystery lovers! I've got a wonderful giveway for you today!

A Knife in the Fog: A Mystery Featuring Margaret Harkness and Arthur Conan Doyle by Bradley Harper releases October 2/18 and I have a copy to give away to one lucky reader.

What's it about? From Seventh Street Books:

"Physician Arthur Conan Doyle takes a break from his practice to assist London police in tracking down Jack the Ripper in this debut novel and series starter.

September 1888. A twenty-nine-year-old Arthur Conan Doyle practices medicine by day and writes at night. His first Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet, although gaining critical and popular success, has only netted him twenty-five pounds. Embittered by the experience, he vows never to write another “crime story.” Then a messenger arrives with a mysterious summons from former Prime Minister William Gladstone, asking him to come to London immediately.

Once there, he is offered one month’s employment to assist the Metropolitan Police as a “consultant” in their hunt for the serial killer soon to be known as Jack the Ripper. Doyle agrees on the stipulation his old professor of surgery, Professor Joseph Bell–Doyle’s inspiration for Sherlock Holmes–agrees to work with him. Bell agrees, and soon the two are joined by Miss Margaret Harkness, an author residing in the East End who knows how to use a Derringer and serves as their guide and companion.

Pursuing leads through the dank alleys and courtyards of Whitechapel, they come upon the body of a savagely murdered fifth victim. Soon it becomes clear that the hunters have become the hunted when a knife-wielding figure approaches." Read an excerpt of A Knife in the Fog.

"Bradley Harper is a retired US Army Colonel and pathologist with a great deal of experience in autopsies and forensic investigation. A life-long fan of Sherlock Holmes, he did intensive research for this debut novel, including a trip to London's East End with noted Jack the Ripper historian Richard Jones. This is his first novel." You can connect with Bradley Harper on his website, like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

And if you'd like to read A Knife in the Fog, enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below. Open to US and Canada. Ends Oct 6/18. Good luck!

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The Grave's a Fine and Private Place - Alan Bradley

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place is the ninth entry in Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series - a series that I absolutely adore!

1952 England. Tragedy struck in the last book and Flavia and her sisters are still coming terms with the new direction their lives have taken. When faithful family retainer Dogger suggests a small getaway trip to help, they (unusally) all agree to go. The four are drifting down the river near Volesthorpe, with Flavia dangling her hand in the water when....she snags something.

"My fingers were inserted firmly in the corpse's open mouth, locked behind it's upper teeth."

Voesthorpe also just happens to have been the scene of a triple murder two years ago. And suddenly things don't look quite so bleak for our twelve year old detective.

Bradley's mysteries are always well planned and executed, but it is the irrepressible Flavia who is the main draw for me. Her curiosity, her quick cleverness, her inner dialogue, the way she views herself and the world around her. And her desire to solve the crimes before the local constabulary does have me reliving my desire to be Nancy Drew. Her skill with poisons is always helpful as well. ;0)

"I cannot pretend that it was unpleasant to be questioned by the police. I had in the past become quite accustomed to occasion quiet chats with Inspector Hewitt: chats during which, as often as not, I was able to set the inspector straight on some of the finer points of chemistry and even, on one or two occasions, certain other matters as well."

"To me, an unexamined corpse was a tale untold: a knotted ball of a tale that was simply crying out to be unraveled until the last strand had been picked free. The fact that it was also a study in progressively putrid chemistry simply made it all that much more lively and interesting."

I've always been fond of the enigmatic Dogger. Bradley gives him a larger role in this latest and we learn a bit more about him and his background. Flavia's relationships with her sisters are also growing and changing, in a direction Flavia couldn't have predicted. They too play a larger role in this ninth entry.

With these changes comes a new avenue for Flavia - one I think is going to open up all sorts of new possibilities for our intrepid sleuth.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...."Flavia is one of the most endearing, captivating, curious, beguiling, precocious characters I've ever discovered in the pages of a book."

Absolutely, positively recommended! If you haven't read any of this series yet, I encourage you to start at the beginning. For established Flavia fans - you won't be disappointed. Read an excerpt of The Grave's a Fine and Private Place.

Dangerous Crossing - Rachel Rhys

I've been watching old Hercule Poirot movies in the evenings lately. They're somehow soothing with the time period, the mores and manners and the paced deducing of the whodunit.

The description of Rachel Rhys's (a pseudonym) new novel Dangerous Crossing appealed to me for the same reasons.

Dangerous Crossing is set in 1939, with the world on the brink of another world war. Lily is on a ocean liner, headed from England to Australia with other young women to start new lives. The liner is carrying many others, from socialites, refugees, tourists and those headed home. The ship seems like another world, with social lines being crossed. Lily makes friends with a couple from first class and develops feelings for a young man also above her 'station.' But all is not perfect on the voyage.........

I loved the setting; the possibilities that exist in this detached microcosm of society. I was able to picture the boat clearly in my mind. As well as the clothing. Rhys takes her characters off ship with some port visits. I enjoyed the descriptions of those locales as well - Naples and Cairo.

I initially bonded with lead character Lily, but as the book progressed, I found myself unhappy with her choices, her thinking and her actions. I was surprised at some of her decisions, but can see how she got caught up with her taste of 'another life'. Other characters were also unlikable, notably one passenger called George. His views of others and his opinions were loathsome. First class passengers Eliza and Max were just as distasteful. The one character I did like from start to finish was Ian, the native Aussie.

I think I went into this book, expecting a slightly different read based on this descriptive line from the publisher - "By the time the ship docks, two passengers are dead, war has been declared, and Lily’s life will be changed irrevocably." This is all true, but I was looking for more of a whodunit I think. The focus of Dangerous Crossing is more on Lily's life being changed. Now, that's not to say I didn't enjoy the book. I did, just not as much as I hoped to.

I chose to listen to Dangerous Crossing. The narrator was Katherine Manners. She was excellent, creating many different voices, tones and accents for the cast. Each was believable and fit the characters. Her diction is clear, easy to understand and pleasant to listen to. Listen to an excerpt of Dangerous Crossing.

Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie

I read Agatha Christie's iconic 1934 mystery, Murder on the Orient Express, many, many years ago. (And to be honest - I had forgotten the 'whodunit'.) Well, Twentieth Century Fox has just released a new (star studded) version of Murder on the Orient Express. It's one I would like to see at the theatre, but I wanted to read the book again beforehand.

My favourite genre is mysteries and this one is a classic 'locked room' mystery. Twelve people are traveling on the Orient Express train. Our protagonist, the great Detective Hercule Poirot is one of them. When the train is stopped dead on the tracks in the middle of nowhere by a snowstorm and a murdered traveler is found in one of the cabins, Poirot's deductive skills are called upon. "The murderer is with us - on the train now..."

And it is those deductive skills that make Christie's works such a joy to read. While current day crime novels can draw upon technology and forensic tools, Poirot relies upon his 'little gray cells'. He solves crimes through interviews, questions, deductions and his own innate cleverness. It's great fun to see if you can remember what each of the twelve has claimed - and to try and find the cracks in each one's proclamations along with Hercule. But they are subtle and so cleverly inserted. The joy in reading Murder on the Orient express is in the journey to the final answer. Read an excerpt of Murder on the Orient Express.

On reaching the final whodunit, I am now very curious as to how the movie will play out. Christie's ending leaves some wiggle room.

The Sixth Victim - Tessa Harris

Tessa Harris's latest historical mystery is The Sixth Victim  - this is the first book in her new Constance Piper series.

Harris sets her novel in a time a place that I love to read - London, England's East End in the 1880's. 1888 to be exact - the time frame that Jack the Ripper was making himself known.

Flower seller Constance Piper has tried to better herself, learning to read and write with the help of Miss Emily Tindall. But when Emily goes missing, Constance cannot believe she would leave without saying good-bye. As Jack's kills start to populate Whitechapel, Constance is frightened that an unidentified corpse may be that of her beloved teacher. And a high-born lady fears it may be her sister. Who could this unknown victim be? Teacher, sister or another of Jack's victims - the sixth?

Harris's historical detail is well researched. Her descriptions, language and settings immediately drew me into the past - the dirty streets, the social strata and the fear of that time period.

Clairvoyance is all the rage in Victorian England and Constance seems to have the sight. Although based in fact, this is where the story fell down for me. I loved the mystery, the possibilities and the characters. Constance is a wonderful lead. But I'm just not sure I bought into the paranormal aspect that Harris introduces. While it is a driving part of the story, I would have been just as happy without it.

I chose to listen to this book. There were two readers - Fiona Hardingham  and Gemma Dawson. I really like more than one narrator - it feels like more of a production if you will. Hardingham and Dawson were fantastic. Their British accents ranged from educated and posh to the streets of Whitechapel. Realistic and so believable. And easy to listen to and understand. I'm not sure which actress voiced Constance, but the voice immediately created a vibrant picture of the character.

Harris has penned an unusual mystery and a strong lead off in this new series. Listen to an excerpt of The Sixth Victim.

A Pattern of Lies - Charles Todd

Charles Todd returns with the latest (#7) in the Bess Crawford series - A Pattern of Lies.

Bess is a Sister with England's Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service. She has served her country since the beginning of the war in both France and England. It's 1918 and the hope is that the War will soon be over.

A chance encounter on a leave plunges Bess into another mystery. (For in addition to being a stellar nurse, she's just as adept at solving mysteries) Mark Ashton, an officer and former patient invites Bess to his family home to visit with his mother. The family owns the Ashton Powder Mill in Kent - the scene of a horrific tragedy that killed over a hundred men. Ruled an accident by the Army, the villagers think differently. Bess is stunned by the hostility shown to the family. As the rancor - and the danger - rises, Bess agrees to see if she can help. There's a possible witness to the event that can clear patriarch Phillip Ashton's name - he's a tankman in France.

Oh, I just love this series! I think it's the slow, meticulous building of clues, the measured connecting together of pieces of information, observations and snippets of conversation. It's such a change from my usual fast paced murder and mayhem mysteries. The thoughtful, careful pacing of the book lets the reader settle in to relax, enjoy and travel back in time. Todd does a fantastic job of bringing the war and the time period to life. Descriptions of time and place generate vivid mental images. I really enjoy the glimpses into the war nurses' everyday lives. A sense of honour, duty, and loyalty is infused in the character and the plot, again underscoring the time period.
 
I like Bess - she's strong minded, strong willed, clever, caring and tenacious. Familiar supporting characters return - Bess's father, Colonel Sahib (I have such a strong mental image of this British officer who served in India with the Gurkha's), Simon and Sergeant Lassiter, a cheeky Australian officer who seems quite fond of Bess. There is attraction between Bess and the two men - I often speculate which one will be her choice. (The Aussie would be mine!)

As the war is drawing to an end, I wonder where Todd will take this series in peacetime. This reader will be eagerly awaiting the next book! Read an excerpt of A Pattern of Lies. Fans of Maisie Dobbs would absolutely enjoy this series as well.

Charles Todd is the author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother and son writing team, they live in Delaware and North Carolina. Visit their website at Charlestodd.com and like CharlesToddNovels on Facebook. See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

A Dangerous Place - Jacqueline Winspear

A Dangerous Place is the latest (#11) entry in Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series.

The opening first pages of A Dangerous Place were quite jarring - a great tragedy has befallen Maisie. I won't spoil it for you, but this loss devastates her. (And truly this reader as well - I'm saddened  at this turn of events.) So much so,  that she has no desire to return to England - instead she only gets as far as Gibraltar. It's 1937 and the Spanish Civil War is underway.

I've always enjoyed the slow building and piecing together of clues on the road to the final reveal in Winspear's novels. The path is never a straight line from A to B which is of course what makes a great mystery. In A Dangerous Place the route to the end is quite roundabout and busy - a bit too much in my opinion. Winspear has grown the series - and Maisie - with new directions taken in the past few books.

There is of course a dead body in A Dangerous Place (every mystery needs one!) But, the ensuing investigation is a political cat and mouse game with watchers watching the watched. And sadly, I became tired of it. What I really enjoyed was what I have enjoyed in previous Maisie books - the slow coming to answers with interviews, visits and Maisie's case map. This is still present in A Dangerous Place. But what I didn't like was the political cat and mouse games and the duplicity of almost every character. It was, well, just too much. This may just be my bias - I am not a 'spy novel' fan.

Winspear's descriptions of time and place are excellent. Maisie walks the streets of Gibraltar many times - I could vividly picture the old women mending their nets, Mr. Solomon's haberdashery and Mr. Salazar's cafe, as she visits these locations many times. (And it's always fun to see a mention of a place in Canada that I'm familiar with - however brief!)

It's always interesting to see why or when a title was chosen for a book. This one has a great quote from Albert Einstein in the epigraph....."The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."  And this completely defines Maisie - she is one of the people who 'do'. This quality is one of the main reasons I have come to enjoy this character so much - her determination, her intellect, her compassion, her curiosity and her inability to let injustice go unnoticed.

"...he taught me about duty, about doing all in our power to bring a sense of...a sense of rest and calm to those left behind. I was - I am, I suppose - an advocate for the dead."

I found the ending quite satisfying - it was a 'return to roots' for Maisie. I will be very curious to see where Winspear takes her character from here. I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series - this is a character and author that I do quite like. A Dangerous Place is a good read (here's an excerpt for you) but isn't my favourite in the series. Readers new to this author will want to start at the beginning to fully come to appreciate this character.

"Jacqueline Winspear is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Leaving Everything Most Loved, Elegy for Eddie, A Lesson in Secrets, The Mapping of Love and Death, Among the Mad, and An Incomplete Revenge, as well as four other national bestselling Maisie Dobbs novels. Her standalone novel, The Care and Management of Lies, was also a New York Times bestseller. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs, which was also nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and was a New York Times Notable Book." Find out more about Jacqueline at her website and find her on Facebook.

See what other on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

The Counterfeit Heiress - Tasha Alexander

The Counterfeit Heiress is the latest in Tasha Alexander's Lady Emily series. This is the ninth in the series, but the first for me.

The Lady Emily mysteries are set in the 1890's and take place in various European cities.

This latest entry finds Lady Emily at a masquerade ball. Another guest seems to mistake her for someone else. There is someone costumed very similarly to Emily, but this woman is passing herself off as a reclusive heiress named Estella. She is caught out by Cecile, a friend of both Estella and Emily. The impostor is later found dead on the grounds of estate. Who was she? Why was she impersonating Estella? Who was the man who approached Emily? And - where is the real Estella? Along with her husband Colin, who handles inquiries for the Queen, friends Cecile and Jeremy, the quartet begins investigating a case that takes them from London to Paris.

This was such a fun period piece! Alexander has done her research - I found the detail so interesting - from societal customs and mores, day to day living, but especially the tombs and catacombs. Bookish references (Charles Dickens) are always enjoyed by this reader.

Alexander's dialogue is quick, smart and and rapier sharp between all of the main characters. The relationship between Emily and Colin is loving, but saucy!

Historical mysteries are always lovely to sit down and savour. The action is slower and the solving of the puzzle more methodical. As readers we are privy to more information that our protagonists have in The Counterfeit Heiress. Estella's story unfolds in chapters alternating the investigation. Midway, I had an idea of what would be the outcome, but I was more than happy to enjoy the journey to the final pages.

Definitely recommended for historical fiction fans.  Read an excerpt of The Counterfeit Heiress.

You can keep up with Tasha Alexander on Facebook as well as on Twitter.

The Edge of Dreams - Rhys Bowen

I'm familiar with Rhys Bowen's name - her books have been recommended to me by patrons who know I enjoy mysteries. Bowen's latest book, The Edge of Dreams is the fourteenth entry in the Molly Murphy series - but a first for this reader - and it won't be my last!

Molly is the wife of Daniel Sullivan, a New York Police captain at the turn of the century. Even though this book is quite far along in the series, I was able to easily become familiar with the characters and their lives.

Daniel has been receiving taunting notes from a serial killer. The pressure is on the police to find him before he kills again. But when Molly is involved in a serious 'accident',  the case may be getting too close to home. Although he is reluctant to bring his work home, he does share his concerns with Molly. Molly has a wonderfully nimble mind. Before her marriage, she worked as a private detective.

Bowen captures the time periods and its mores perfectly. Historical events are woven throughout the story.  I loved the detail of time and place as well. Day to day activities, cooking and shopping and more paint a warm picture of days gone by. I quite enjoyed the polite sparring between Molly and her mother-in-law over what 'correct' behavior should entail.

Supporting characters 'Gus' and 'Sid' are wonderfully avant garde, living life according to their own rules. Gus has studied with Sigmund Freud exploring his dream theories. This study is called into play with the second plot line of The Edge of Dreams. A young woman's family has died in what initially appears to be a terrible accident. But was it? Why is she unharmed? She can't remember anything but fragments of dreams and nightmares. Can this new method unlock answers?

Molly investigates quietly and capably, without drawing attention to herself or stepping on her husband's toes, both personally and professionally. The relationship between Molly and Daniel is particularly well written - kind, loving and believable. I enjoyed the measured pace of the investigations and the 'old fashioned' methods employed to solve the mysteries.

Bowen has crafted a pair of good whodunits that were somewhat easy to solve, but it was fun to solve them along with Molly and Daniel. But, for this reader, it is the characters that will have me returning to this historical mystery series. Read an excerpt of The Edge of Dreams.

You can keep up with Rhys Bowen on Facebook, as well as on Twitter.

Hunting Shadows - Charles Todd

I absolutely love Charles Todd's Bess Crawford series, but funnily enough I've only read one or two of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries. And I'm not sure why, as I really enjoyed Hunting Shadows, the 16th entry in this series.

Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is called in by the local constabulary when they are stymied by not one, but two murders - both perpetrated by a sniper. The two victims are completely disparate and it's up to Rutledge to find the common denominator - and the killer.

Todd writes wonderful historical mysteries - the times, the social customs and mores, the language and more are just lovely to immerse yourself in. It's a gentler time, but it's also coloured by the aftermath of World War 1. (Hunting Shadows is set in 1920)  Shell shock (what we now call PTSD) plays a part in both the plot and with our main character. Rutledge often converses with Hamish, a dead soldier from Rutledge's past.

I enjoyed and savoured the slow building of the case. Finding clues, conducting interviews, visiting scenes - it's all done in a measured manner that is just a treat to read. Yes, it's a murder mystery, but it's such a rich, atmospheric read on top of that. There's so much detail in Todd's prose, bringing the time period, the settings and the supporting cast to life.

The final whodunit is a satisfying end to some excellent plotting - one a reader will not guess beforehand. Definitely recommended. Read an excerpt of Hunting Shadows.

Those who enjoy British settings and authors will be surprised to discover that Charles Todd is actually an American mother/son writing duo. You can keep up with Charles Todd on Facebook.

See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found her. 

Moriarty - Anthony Horowitz

Well, mystery buffs, fiction fans and television lovers will all recognize this name - Professor Moriarty - the arch nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.

Anthony Horowitz's new book, Moriarty, takes place mere days after the final confrontation of Holmes and Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls that resulted in both men's deaths.

Pinkerton Detective Frederick Chase arrives from the US. He is tracking an American criminal kingpin who was to join forces with Moriarty. Could there be a clue left on the body pulled from the bottom of the falls? Scotland Yard Inspector Athelney Jones (who appeared in Doyle's story The Sign of Four) is also at the falls to view the body pulled from the bottom. Jones is a devoted fan of Holmes' methods and escapades. The two join forces to hunt down the kingpin. Chase is the narrator of Moriarty

I had read Horowitz's book The House of Silk (a Sherlock Holmes mystery - my review) and knew I would love this novel as well. The tone, the language and the settings all capture the feel of Doyle's writing style. But Horowitz does not try to mimic or copy the originals. He does put his own stamp on the book. Doyle's estate has approved Horowitz to write these novels.

I felt a delicious frisson of anticipation as the phrase "The game is afoot" was uttered. The clues are there, the deductions are made and twining together of the threads begins as the mystery is slowly pieced together, then the action starts to ramp up as the pair get closer and closer to their quarry and....

....and the final few chapters were fantastic. I had a small little voice saying...'maybe'...as I read, but Horowitz still caught me unawares. And then I had to go back and read the beginning again! Absolutely loved it! Moriarty is definitely recommended. (And I'm really hoping there's another book in the works.)  Read an excerpt of Moriarty.

"Anthony Horowitz is the author of the international bestseller The House of Silk and the New York Times number one bestselling Alex Rider series for Young Adults. As a television screenwriter he created both Midsomer Murders and the BAFTA-winning Foyle’s War, both of which were featured on PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery. He regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines, and in January 2014 was awarded an OBE for his services to literature. He lives in London." You can keep up with Anthony Horowitz on Twitter.

See what others on the TLC book tour thought. Full schedule can be found here.

A Question of Honor - Charles Todd

A Question of Honor is the fifth book in Charles Todd's wonderful Bess Crawford mystery series.

1918. Bess is a nursing sister in England, doing her part in the First World War. Bess's first duty is to the wounded and her profession, but she can't help but become involved in murder and mystery that cross her path.

In a A Question of Honor, we get travel back to Bess's childhood in India with her father, a regimental leader and mother as well. Many of the children  of officers in the Colonel Sahib's regiment were sent back to England for eduction. One of those officers, Wade,  was marked a murderer, following the deaths of five people in England after one of his visits back home. He escaped into the wilderness of Afghanistan, but was presumed dead. But while working in a hospital, Bess hears that Wade is still alive - and still serving his country under another name - that of the family he killed. Bess decides she must investigate further......

I love this period series. Todd masterfully brings the settings and time period to life with wonderfully descriptive passages. The sense of honor, duty, loyalty, social mores, skills and conversation all combine to richly recreate this bygone era.

Bess is a wonderful protagonist - intelligent, inquisitive and brave. We get to see more of Bess's parents in this latest book as they too become involved in the search for a murderer. Bess's friend Simon has healed from injuries sustained in a previous book and is also very involved. I'd like to see Todd take their relationship to a different level - beau - instead of friend.

Todd's mysteries are always intelligent with no gore and are presented in a fashion that suits the era represented. It is fun to watch the solution being pieced together without modern methods or tools. Rudyard Kipling makes an appearance and adds to the solving of the mystery as well.

I've chosen to listen to the last few books as I really enjoy the reader - Rosalyn Landor. She has a wonderful British accent and her voice completes the mental image I've conjured up for Bess. She portrays male characters just as well and the listener is easily able to discern who is speaking. Her tone are rich and 'plummy'. She easily captures the and conveys  the time periods and social niceties of the tie. For me, this is one of the series I prefer to listen to, but it's just as good in print! Fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series would enjoy Bess. Definitely recommended.

 Listen to an excerpt of A Question of Honor. Or read an excerpt of A Question of Honor.

The Black Country - Alex Grecian

When I read Alex Grecian's debut novel, The Yard, last year (my review) I immediately added him to my 'must read' list.

His second book The Black Country brings back the investigators from Scotland Yard's Murder Squad.

Grecian starts off the book with a quick little 'gotcha' scene. A little girl climbing a tree finds something of great interest in a bird's nest - what she thinks is a lovely little blue egg - but it's an blue eye....

1899.  Detective Day and Sergeant Hammersmith  are sent to the small mining town of Blackhampton in the British Midlands. Two of the town's residents and their young son have vanished and the local constable is in over his head.

But what Day and Hammersmith find is not a town overly worried about the loss of three of their residents, but an insular mining town full of superstitions, suspicions and secrets. No one is willing to talk to the detectives, instead they seem bent on stopping the investigation in its tracks. A stranger who's only been in town for two weeks with his own agenda is more welcomed than Day and Hammersmith.

The Black Country is a busy book - the town is falling into the tunnels beneath, the townsfolk are falling sick from a mysterious malady, the children of the town are afraid of  a boogeyman they've named "Raw Head, Bloody Bones",  the weather is just as determined as the murderer to kill off a few more folks and the mysterious stranger has another mysterious stranger after him. A lot of plot? Oh, for sure -  but I loved it!

What drew me to the first book has again captured me in The Black Country. I love the time period, but I especially enjoy these characters. Day's quiet, calm intelligence shines through, Hammersmith's stubborn indefatigability, the clear and gentle soul of the giant Henry and the early forensic and medical pronouncements of Dr. Kingsley.

Grecian again employs his 'interlude' technique, telling the story of the mysterious stranger in bits and pieces and slowly tying him to the mystery in Blackhampton. As with the first book, the identity of the killer is known before the end of the book. But, for this reader, it didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.

Grecian continues to flesh out his character's personal lives - I know there's more to come and will be eagerly awaiting the third in this series. Read an excerpt of The Black Country.

I had a quick listen to who narrated the audio version of this book and may actually choose to listen to the next installment. Toby Leonard Moore has an amazingly rich, resonant voice with a wonderful set of accents. His pacing was slow and deliberate, catching the mores and manners of the time period. Listen to an excerpt.

You can find Alex Grecian on Facebook and on Twitter.

Leaving Everything Most Loved - Jacqueline Winspear

I picked up the first book in the Maisie Dobbs series by chance back in 2003 - and I was promptly hooked. Jacqueline Winspear has just released the tenth book in this wonderful series - Leaving Everything Most Loved.

 

Maisie is a psychologist and private investigator in 1930's England. Quite unusual for her time, but even more unusual is the path that has taken her to her current place in life. She started out as a maid in the great house where her father worked as a groom. But her curiosity for learning caught the eye of her employer and others and they have helped pursue and achieve her many goals. She also served as a nurse in the Great War. Her natural curiosity and quiet intelligence have served her greatly -  her investigative agency is quite successful.

 

Her latest case is disturbing. An East Indian woman has been shot down in the streets of London. Her brother is looking for answers that Scotland Yard seems unable to find and hires Maisie.

 

"That morning, as Usha Pramal had painted a vermilion bindi to signify the wisdom nestled behind the sacred third eye, she could not have know that she had given her killer a perfect target." Maisie takes on the case, with the blessing of Inspector Caldwell of the Yard.

 

"Because you're a terrier, Miss Dobbs. You might not be quick and you might not go about it like I would, but you never let go. Now then, you go and get your teeth into his story. See where that leads you."

 

What a treat it is to follow Maisie as she slowly and patiently investigates, piecing together the whodunit using interviews, intuition, deduction and legwork until the pieces fall into place.

 

The mysteries in Winspear's books are intriguing, involving the social fabric and mores of the time period she has chosen.  Her books are a wonderful social commentary as well.

 

I have enjoyed the character of Maisie from the very first book. She is patient and kind, but intuitive and not easily taken advantage of.  But while, I enjoy Maisie's sleuthing, I am just as interested in her personal life.  Leaving Everything Most Loved as a title applies to many of the characters in the book.  Maisie herself, despite having a man she loves in her life, family and friends and personal success, still finds there is something missing in her life. And so, she has decided to make a radical change. I won't spoil it for you - but wherever Winspear chooses to take Maisie from here - I'll be following.

 

An excellent historical mystery series and definitely recommended. (Best read with a pot of tea and a cosy chair)  Read an excerpt of Leaving Everything Most Loved.

 

See what others on the TLC Month of Maisie tour thought - of this title and her backlist.  Full schedule here.

 

Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Following higher education at the University of London's Institute of Education, Jacqueline worked in academic publishing, in higher education, and in marketing communications in the UK.

She emigrated to the United States in 1990, and while working in business and as a personal / professional coach, Jacqueline embarked upon a life-long dream to be a writer. 

 Jacqueline's novels thus far—Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, An Incomplete Revenge, and Among the Mad are set in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with the roots of each story set in the Great War, 1914–1918. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards. You can find Jacqueline Winspear on Facebook.

 



Beware This Boy - Maureen Jennings

I know Maureen Jennings's name. I know she's Canadian. I know she's an award winning author. I know that the television series The Murdoch Mysteries is based on her best selling historical detective series. (I've watched every episode - and season six starts in January '13.) But, I have never physically read a book by Jennings.....until now....and I wish I had done so sooner!

Her latest novel is Beware This Boy - the second book featuring Detective Inspector Tom Tyler. The setting is England in 1940 -  and the war has begun.

Tyler is called in to Birmingham to investigate a fatal accident at a munitions factory. But, is it an accident? As he questions the staff, he begins to think not. A young American film maker may not be who he says he is. Could one of the staff have their own agenda? Are there conspirators amongst them? In addition to Tom's inquiries, there are secondary storylines involving an AWOL soldier, his family and more. But all have ties to the factory in one way or another.

There are many characters populating this book, but each personality serves a purpose and is richly and distinctly drawn. Every one has their own story, yet plays a larger part in the overall plot. The Abbott family was a standout for me - especially nurse Eileen. I quite like Tom and his quiet, thoughtful manner of investigation.

The time period is beautifully captured as well. The stalwart attitudes, courage, the sense of duty, the politeness and social mores of the day but the dark side of war as well. Living day to day with bombing, rationing, uncertainty, death and loss.

The 'whodunit' is not overly complicated and we're privy to more knowledge than Tom early on, but this really didn't matter. It was Jennings's characters and storytelling that were standouts for me.

Beware This Boy was a rich, full, satisfying read all 'round on so many levels. Definitely recommended. Read an excerpt of Beware This Boy. Although this is the second book of a trilogy, I was able to enjoy Beware This Boy on its' own. There were allusions to a past case, but it didn't detract from this story. If anything, it only encouraged me to hunt down the first book - Season of Darkness.

In the author's notes, Jennings shares the origins of the title.

"The title of this book is from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. When the Ghost of Christmas Present appears to Ebeneezer Scrooge, he reveals two wretched children who have been sheltering inside his robe. They are the children of Man, says the Spirit.  'This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware of both of them...but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing be erased."

I'm not sure if there are more books using this time period as a setting lately or I'm just discovering them.  (Anne Perry, Charles Todd, Jacqueline Winspear) But I am really enjoying them. If you do as well, put Jennings on your list. Beware This Boy was also the inspiration for the television series The Bomb Girls.

An Unmarked Grave - Charles Todd

I recently had a patron ask if I knew of a good historical mystery series for her. She was older, and said she liked stories set in the war years such as Charles Todd's Bess Crawford books. (which she highly recommended) Well, I did indeed have a series for her, but although I was familiar with Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series, I had never read one of the Bess Crawford books. Her recommendation resulted in me picking up the latest installment of this series - An Unmarked Grave.

Bess Crawford is a World War I nurse. 1918 finds her at the front lines in France, with war casualties and the Spanish influenza contributing equally to the dead waiting to be buried. But when an orderly points out a body to Bess that isn't wrapped right, she is shocked to find she recognizes the man from her father's regiment. It wasn't the flu or war that killed him - she suspects foul play. But exhausted and physically worn down, she falls prey to the flu herself before she can report what she thinks might be murder. Back in England she does advise her father of her suspicions. But the body is long buried. Did she imagine what she saw? Or is there a murderer in the ranks? Bess is determined to find the answer and wants to return to France.

Todd's writing brought this time period to life. The dialogue, social mores and expectations of the time were wonderfully depicted, creating a strong sense of atmosphere.  Bess is such a great character - kind, dutiful, compassionate, strong, determined and intelligent. All of the characters were equally well drawn and just as engaging. I liked the idea of a woman being the sleuth in this time period, when men were the traditional 'leaders'. Bess is more than up to the task.

The plotting is good, slowly unravelling over time. This is a gentler mystery, meant to be savoured and enjoyed.

I choose to listen to A Unmarked Grave. The reader was Audie award winner Rosalyn Landor. She has a wonderfully rich, crisp British accent that perfectly suited the mental image I had of Bess. She portrayed all of the characters just as well. Most of the other characters were male and Landor came up with believable voices for them. Bess's father had a nice, gruff, regimental tone. The 'yank' soldier's voice was spot on as well. Her voice added much to the overall feel of the book, conveying emotion and setting easily. Listen to an excerpt of An Unmarked Grave. Or read an excerpt.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be picking up another in this series. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs character would enjoy this series. (This was my recommendation to my patron)

The Yard - Alex Grecian

The Yard is Alex Grecian's debut novel. And this reader has put him firmly on her 'must read' list.

London, England 1889 -the year after Jack's infamous rampage. After the Metropolitan Police failed to solve that case, a 'Murder Squad' was formed within Scotland Yard. It consists of only twelve detectives who cannot begin to solve each and every one of the hundred murders being perpetrated each month. It is Inspector Walter Day's first week on the job when one of their own is found murdered in a particularly grisly manner. Determined to prove himself and seek justice for his fallen comrade, Day dives into the case with both feet."

"The new inspector, Day, appeared to be up to the job, but Kett knew little about the man. There was an innocence about him that bothered Kett. He had seen idealistic men come and go, the city leeching hope from them too quickly."

I was hooked from the opening line...."Nobody noticed when Inspector Christian Little of Scotland Yard disappeared, and nobody was looking for him when he was found."

This is a time period I absolutely love and Grecian does a good job bringing the setting to life with lots of atmospheric detail. The plot is multi faceted with more than just the primary case being investigated. Although we know the identity of the perpetrator about halfway through, it didn't detract from the story at all.

But it was the characters that were a stand out for me. Grecian has fleshed them out nicely, providing 'interludes' where we learn some of their past. Day is a very likable character, struggling with being in the 'big city'. I quite enjoyed his wife Claire and see her playing a bigger part in the future. Constable Hammersmith is also a character I was drawn to. He's a little more down and dirty than Day, willing to bend the law a wee bit in the name of justice. But the most engrossing was Dr. Bernard Kingsley. He works an unpaid consultant to the Yard, firmly believing that the science he is pursuing will change the face of policing in the future. It was great fun to see the advent of forensics in fingerprinting and evidence collecting. Kingsley is a bit of an enigma as is his daughter Fiona.

Grecian has gathered an eclectic, fascinating group of characters, set them down in an intriguing time and place and tied it all together with an ingenious plot. I truly hope this is the beginning of a series - I quite enjoyed The Yard and will definitely pick up the next book by this author. Read an excerpt of The Yard.  You can find Alex Grecian on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Anatomist's Apprentice - Tessa Harris

The Anatomist's Apprentice is the first (and debut) book in Tessa Harris's new series featuring Dr. Thomas Silkstone.

I initially picked up the book based on the description - 18th century, London, England, mystery, early forensic detection, as it seemed to fall into one of my favourite genres - historical mysteries.

Lady Lydia Farrell's brother dies a horrible death in his own bed. Was he the victim of some unknown condition? Or was helped along the way to his Maker - by her husband? She seeks the advice of a well known anatomist - Dr. Silkstone - hoping he can shed light on what really happened to her brother. Silkstone uses his medical skills, but also seems to have a keen eye and ear for ferreting out details about situations and people that may reveal the truth.

The Anatomist's Apprentice is a period piece and as such, it does move at a more leisurely pace in terms of plot, development and language. I sometimes wanted to hurry things along. Harris's historical research was very well done and showed in the details. Where the book fell down for me was the whole romantic entanglement between Silkstone and Lady Lydia. It started to fall into bodice ripper territory for me  (a place I try not to go). Once I found out who the publisher was - Kensington Books - it made sense.

Harris does deliver a good twist at the end. She has two further books planned for Silkstone. This will appeal to readers who would enjoy, in the words of the author "...a cracking yarn interwoven with a love story, set against a fascinating historical backdrop."

Read an excerpt of The Anatomist's Apprentice.  You can find Harris on Twitter

The Gods of Gotham - Lyndsay Faye

The Gods of Gotham by  Lyndsay Faye's  is newly released novel today. And it's definitely one you want to get your hands on!

"On the night of August 21, 1845, one of the children escaped."

I was captured from that opening line - hook line and sinker. History and mystery combined is a sure bet for me and Faye did not disappoint.

1845 is a turning point in the history of New York City. Thousands of immigrants fleeing from the potato famine in Ireland settle in the city and the first formal police force is formed. That line?  It's from a report written by 'copper star' Timothy Wilde, a policeman in the Sixth Ward - home to the notorious Five Points and more.

Wilde has been hired on based on the recommendation of his bigger than life brother, Valentine. And also on his knowledge of  'flash'.

" Flash, or flash-patter, is the curious dialect spoken by foisters, panel thieves, bruisers, dice burners, confidence men, street rats, news hawkers, addicts, and Valentine.....It's not a language, exactly - it's more like a code."

Faye provides us with a mini lexicon in the beginning of the book, based on George Washington Matsell's actual book from 1859. (Take the Penguin 'Flash" quiz here.)Matsell is also a character in the book. I loved the amount of history and detail that Lyndsay Faye has woven into her book. It brought the time period to life - the political machinations, the religious unrest, the racial prejudice and the social fabric of the time provided a engrossing backdrop for a delicious plot.

Faye's prose paint vivid pictures: (It's a long passage but especially good!)

"If there's a wider street on earth than Broadway, a street more roiling, a street with a more dizzying pendulum swing between starving opium fiends with the rags rotting off of them and ladies in walking gowns bedecked like small steamships, I can't imagine it nor do I want to. Colored footmen sitting atop phaetons and wearing summer straw hats and pale green linen coats whirred past me that morning, one nearly colliding with a Jewess selling ribbons from a wide hinged box hung around her neck. Ice delivery men from the Knickerbocker Company, shoulders knotted with painful-seeming muscles, strained with iron tongs to hoist frozen blocks onto carts and then wheeled their cargo into the opulent hotels before the guests awoke. And weaving in and out, mud-crusted  and randy and miraculously nimble, trotted the speckled pigs, rubbery snouts nuzzling the trampled beet leaves. Everything begrimed but the storefront window panes, everything for sale but the cobblestones, everyone pulsing with energy but never meeting your eye"

But what really grabbed me were the characters. Timothy's life changes radically over the course of the book. From a bartender saving his coins, dreaming of marriage and a small piece of land to being consumed with solving the child murder cases that have fallen in his lap - and finding out he's very good at it.

"I wanted to know how they came to be there like very little else I've ever wanted, and I'd never felt so about a puzzle before....this was a single goal, a mountain to climb and see the top with your own eyes, and I needed to know."

The relationship between Timothy and his brother Valentine is a mystery to be solved as well. I loved the cast of eclectic supporting characters - especially Mr. Piest and George Matsell.

Lyndsay Faye has combined a great mystery with a fascinating look at history and engaging characters, all of which kept me up late, rapidly turning 'just one more page'.  I truly hope that that Faye has plans to continue on with these characters.

**Just found in an interview with Kirkus reviews...."The first draft of the sequel is finished, actually. It’s the winter of 1846, about six months later, and in it I merrily continue to do terrible, terrible things to Tim and Val."

Fans of Caleb Carr's The Alienist would enjoy this book. And author Michael Connelly says "A wonderful book. Lyndsay Faye's command of historical detail is remarkable and her knowledge of hum"A wonderful book. Lyndsay Faye's command of historical detail is remarkable and her knowledge of human character even more so. I bought into this world in the opening pages and never once had the desire to leave. It's a great read." Five stars for me!

Read an excerpt from The Gods of Gotham. (You'll be hooked...) A Reading Group Guide is available as well. You can find Lyndsay Faye on Twitter and on Facebook.

The Crown - Nancy Bilyeau

Nancy Bilyeau began work on her first novel - The Crown -  in 2005. Her hard work definitely paid off - The Crown is an absolutely wonderful debut.

The Crown is set in Tudor England in 1537. Joanna Stafford is a novice nun at the Dartford Priory. She leaves without permission to attend the public death of her cousin Lady Margaret Bulmer. Her presence does not go unnoticed. She is found out and soon becomes the unwilling agent of a Bishop determined to find a sacred relic - the Crown of Athelstan.

Bilyeau has created an engaging character in Sister Joanna. She is a pious young woman, but has a streak of stubbornness and determination that make her all the more believable and engaging. The supporting characters are also well drawn, as are the 'villians'.

But for me, Bilyeau's strength lies in her research. The historical detail in The Crown is phenomenal. I have a working knowledge of this time period, but learned so much from reading this book. Her prose, characters and setting all accurately captured this time period and brought it to life.

The Crown successfully combines history with  mystery, intrique and yes, some romance to provide a throughly engrossing read.  Bilyeau is working on a second novel featuring Sister Joanna - I'll be picking it up. I'd like to see where Joanna's path next leads.

Read an excerpt of The Crown. A reading group guide is also available. You can find Nancy Bilyeau on Twitter.