Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose - T. A. Willberg

I stumbled across T.A. Willberg's debut novel, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder in 2020. I absolutely loved it and have been eagerly awaiting the next entry in this fantastic series. It's here! Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose has just released. 

What's to love? How about a hidden detective agency below the streets of London, an eclectic group of 'Inquirers', wondrous, magical gadgets that aid in investigations and a spunky female apprentice. The name of the agency, Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, conjures up time and place and a bygone method of crime solving. The 1959 time period is perfect. 

Marion Lane is our lead character. You can't help but like her. She's clever, curious, dogged and determined to become a full fledged Inquirer. Willberg fleshes out Marion and gives her a personal life as well. Those personal and workplace relationships will be sorely tested in this second entry. A killer named The Florist is loose in London and Scotland Yard has called on Miss Brickett's for help. A mysterious letter to Marion suggests that one of their new recruits may have ties to the killer....

Willberg's plotting is full of twists and turns, changing and challenging my answer for whodunit with every new clue. Who to trust? Who not to trust?

I wanted to be Nancy Drew when I was younger. Marion evokes that desire and Miss Brickett's brings to mind Platform 9 ¾. Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose was a unique, wonderfully imaginative, delightfully fun read that took me away from the worries of today. I had great fun walking in Marion's footsteps as she pursues the mysteries of Miss Brickett's. I'll be eagerly awaiting the third book! 

See for yourself - read an excerpt of Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose. And personally, I think the reader would enjoy this latest having read the first book.

Magpie Murders - Anthony Horowitz

Anthony Horowitz's latest release - Magpie Murders - is well, simply brilliant! The writing is so very, very clever. Mystery fans - this is a must-read for you - especially if you love Agatha Christie style mysteries!

An unnamed narrator warns the reader about Magpie Murders in the first few pages..."As far as I'm concerned, you can't beat a good whodunnit: the twists and turns, the clues and red herring,s and then finally, the satisfaction of having everything explained to you in a way that makes you kick yourself because you hadn't seen it from the start. That was what I was expecting when I began. But Magpie Murders wasn't like that. It wasn't like that at all. I hope I don't need to spell it out any more. Unlike me, you have been warned."

Well, who could resist such a warning? Not I! I settled in with delicious anticipation - and was rewarded. You see, Horowitz has written a novel within a novel. Our narrator starts reading a period murder mystery set in the 1950's in Britain. "...the golden age of British whodunnits with a country house setting, a complicated murder, a cast of suitably eccentric characters and a detective who arrived as an outsider." That outsider is Private Investigator Atticus Pünd. (Who will call Hercule Poirot to mind) This book kept me enthralled for over two hundred pages - then we go back to our narrator on page four. (who turns out to be the author's editor) And discover that there is a mystery to be solved in the present day. But we're left on tenterhooks, awaiting the reveal of the final whodunnit of the 1950's book.

Confused? Don't be - the novel reads seamlessly and is so very, very addictive. I've tried to say much without giving too much away. Suffice it to say, that Magpie Murders is highly recommended - easily one of my favourite reads this year. Read an excerpt of Magpie Murders.

I received this book from HarperCollins Canada in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

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. 

Bridge of Scarlet Leaves - Kristina McMorris

Kristina McMorris follows up the success of her first novel Letters from Home - a World War II piece - with her newly released novel that explores the effects of war from many points of view - Bridge of Scarlet Leaves.

1941, California. Maddie Kern and her brother TJ are still reeling from the loss of their mother in  a car wreck and the subsequent catatonic retreat of their father into a world of his own. TJ is bent on protecting his sister and making sure she succeeds in her music career. Maddie is afraid to tell him that she has fallen in love with his best friend - Lane Moritomo - an American born son of Japanese immigrants. Determined to be together, they run away to Seattle to elope. In Seattle is is legal for inter racial couples to be married, but not in California. Doesn't that just make you stop and think? Illegal for inter racial couples...

Lane and Maddie are on their way home the next day when Pearl Harbor is bombed. And their world is torn apart. Lane's family is sent to the internment camps. (a side note - this was not confined to the US; the Canadian government also sent those of Japanese descent to camps. Eco-Activist David Suzuki was brought up in a camp) TJ impulsively joins the Army and Maddie - she wants to be with the husband she loves.

Hate, bigotry, loyalty, duty, fear and the horrors of war are explored and juxtaposed with hope, love, determination, honor, friendship and forgiveness. McMorris examines these themes through the eyes of many characters, providing alternate viewpoints for each. TJ is full of anger and a character I discounted until later in the book. Maddie's best friend, co-workers and neighbours all have a different take. But it is Lane that suffered with the most. He is torn between his love for Maddie, his love for his sister, his sense of duty towards his family and his need to prove himself as a loyal American.  He is seen as a traitor by both sides. Maddie suprised me many times - she was only nineteen when she married Lane. Her determination in this time period to go against the norm and follow her heart was stirring.

McMorris takes many factual pieces of history and weaves them into her story. Japanese Americans who were in Japan when war was declared were conscripted and forced to fight against America. There were many American Caucasian wives who refused to leave their Japanese husbands and children and chose to live in the camps as well.

While McMorris has based her book on a certain time period, as I was reading I thought - this story could be written about many time periods. The hate shown towards race, religion, beliefs and gender is unfortunately a story that continues to be written every day.

Kristina McMorris injects a keen insight into Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. "As the daughter of a Japanese immigrant father and Caucasian American mother, Kristina grew up living between these two cultures. Through Bridge of Scarlet Leaves she hopes to share with readers a unique perspective of an intriguing, and often tragic, portion of our country's history, while also honoring a diverse range of quiet heroes."

And that she has. I very much enjoyed Bridge of Scarlet Leaves. You can read an excerpt here. The book also contains a discussion guide for book clubs. You can find Kristina on Facebook, on Twitter.

Those who enjoyed Kristin Hannah's or Sarah Jio's latest books will enjoy this title.