Miss Marple: The Complete Short Stories (2013) Agatha Christie From The Thirteen Problems (1953) The Tuesday Night Club The Idol House of Astarte Ingots of Gold The Bloodstained Pavement Motive v. Opportunity The Thumbmark of St. Peter The Blue Geranium The Companion The Four Suspects A Christmas Tragedy The Herb of Death The Affair at […]
The Paris Plot (2014) Teresa Grant I actually read this back in August, but had forgotten to review it. Set in Paris, in 1816, this novella finds Malcolm and Suzanne Rannoch awaiting the birth of their second child. However, events from the past have come back to haunt them, when a thrown rock with the […]
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches (2014) Alan Bradley The previous book ended with the news that Harriet de Luce had been found. This book opens with Harriet’s body returning to Buckshaw, in all pomp and circumstance–none of which does Flavia and her sisters and father much good, since their home is still up for […]
Speaking from Among the Bones (2013) Alan Bradley The wolves are no longer at the door. Her father can no longer keep up with the creditors, and they’re out of money. Meanwhile, the vicar is excavating the bones of Saint Tancred, on the 500th anniversary of his martyrdom. But as much as some people want […]
Midnight Riot (2011/2012) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith I’ve had audio books that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed before, but until now, I’d not had the experience of a reader making a book better. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith did that. He is amazing. He did various accents that made each character distinct and they all sounded different. Even […]
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows (2011) Alan Bradley It’s almost Christmas, and Flavia has grave suspicious about St. Nick. How he really come down the chimney to leave gifts? And if he does, can he be caught? Unfortunately, the de Luce household is in an even greater uproar than normal, since Father is allowing a […]
The Duchess War (2012) Courtney Milan This is the first(ish) book in the series, and the third book I read. Wilhelmina Pursling has a past she is desperately hiding from. She’s changed her name and hidden with obscurity with her two great-aunts, and pushed down everything she once was, to avoid any whisper that might […]
The Heiress Effect (2013) Courtney Milan The is book two of the Brothers Sinister trilogy, and the second book I read, however, I started with book three. So, backwards. Miss Jane Fairfield is a wealthy heiress who is supposedly seeking a husband, however, she’s doing everything she possible can to let any man get close […]
The Countess Conspiracy (2013) Courtney Milan I absolutely was not expecting to enjoy this anywhere near as much as I did. I thought it would be a nice diversion, instead, I found myself sucked in and really wanting things to work out well for both characters. Despite knowing this was a romance and so there […]
A Fatal Waltz (2008) Tasha Alexander The third Lady Emily book finds Emily engaged to Colin Hargreaves, however, his work has caused their wedding to be put off, and now Lord Fortescue is doing everything he can to break their engagement for he doesn’t like Emily, and believes Colin’s work is too important for him […]
A Poisoned Season (2007) Tasha Alexander The second Lady Emily mystery finds Lady Emily Ashton still trying to find her place in society as a widow, and battling her mother’s domineering attempts to get Emily remarried. Emily is still refusing Colin Hargreaves offer of marriage, but not because she doesn’t love him, but because she […]
Silent on the Moor (2009) Deanna Raybourn Lady Julia Grey and her sister–against the wishes of both their father and older brother–are headed to Yorkshire, the Grimsgrave estate, where Brisbane has taken up residence and is attempting to rehabilitate the manor. There is a lot of work ahead of him. Although I guessed relatively quickly […]
The Paris Affair (2013) Teresa Grant It is the summer of 1815, and Malcom & Suzanne Rannoch are in Paris, following the Battle of Waterloo. They are supposed to meet with a French informant who wants out of Paris, and is willing to blackmail multiple members of the British diplomatic corps in his effort to […]
Magic City: Recent Spells (2014) Paula Guran Table of Contents “Street Wizard” by Simon R. Green “Paranormal Romance” by Christopher Barzak “Grand Central Park” by Delia Sherman “Spellcaster 2.0” by Jonathan Maberry “Wallamelon” by Nisi Shawl “-30-” by Caitlín R. Kiernan “Seeing Eye” by Patricia Briggs “Stone Man” by Nancy Kress “In the Stacks” by […]
Farthing (2006) Jo Walton I had forgotten how dark and depressing this this story is. Mind you, it’s good, but it has the feel of a dystopia without actually being a dystopia. It’s 1949, but not 1949 as we knew it. For England, World War II ended when England made peace with Hitler. Charles Lindburg […]
Silent in the Sanctuary (2009) Deanna Raybourn After discovering her husband’s murderer, Lady Julia Gray has gone to Italy to recuperate, living with her brothers, Plum and Lysander, and enjoying the country. But after her brother Lysander returns home married (much to everyone’s surprise) the three are ordered home by their father, ostensibly to spend […]
Silent in the Grave (2007) Deanna Raybourn First, a mea culpa. In my memory, I confused this with another book. A book that I found ho-hum at best. I also read this at a time when I was still irritated when someone put romance into my mystery (or fantasy or whatever), and I remembered this […]
Something from the Nightside (Audio Version) (2003/2008) Simon R. Green narrated by Marc Vietor This is the first book in the Nightside series, and introduces us to both John Taylor and the Nightside. You’ll probably know very quickly if this is for you or not. John “Bloody” Taylor is a private investigator who has been […]
The Lighthearted Quest (1956) Ann Bridge I picked up a bunch of books in this series when they were on sale, and then they sat, unread, while I read other things. The book started off well. It’s set post WWII, a time period I’m fond of due to Agatha Christie, and it was amusing. “Where […]
Miss Buncle’s Book (1936) D. E. Stevenson This book was a fun read. First published in 1936, it’s set in England, in that strange time period between the two world wars. Miss Buncle is at wits end as to what to do for money. Her dividends are no longer supporting her, so she has to […]
London Falling (2012) Paul Cornell (Shadow Police) I started reading, and briefly thought I had entered in the middle of the story. I hadn’t. It was actually the beginning, but for the characters, they believe they are in the end game. Two cops working undercover to take down a crime lord, the DI running the […]
A Red Herring Without Mustard (2011) Alan Bradley This is the third Flavia de Luce book, and the de Luce family still hovers on the edge of ruin. I’ll actually be curious to see how long into the series this particular sword hangs over their heads. But that is not the start–or even the main […]
The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag (2010) Alan Bradley This is the second Flavia de Luce book. Flavia is eleven and fascinated by chemistry and poisons. And murder, although that was a recent discovery. She has two older sisters who dislike and torment her, and a father who is wrapped up in his stamps, […]
Why Kings Confess (2014) C.S. Harris I gave up re-reading the past books and the series and jumped straight to the newest book. No more hardback books for me, I think. The last several books have been set in a relatively compressed time frame–within a nine month period, to be precise, and in this book […]
What Remains of Heaven (2009) C.S. Harris I’d forgotten this book ends on a cliff-hanger of sorts. Not the mystery, but the situation of Hero Jarvis. Sebastian is pulled into yet another mystery when he formidable aunt asks him to look into the death of the Bishop of London and the presumed successor to the […]
Under Camelot’s Banner (2005) Sarah Zettel Lynet Carnbrea is the daughter of Steward Kenan, the man who holds Camilard for Queen Guinevere, whose name is under a shadow, for she acted as a go-between for Tristan and Iseult. Shamed, and broken by her penance, she is seen as damaged goods, and so unlike her sister, […]
Where Serpents Sleep (2008) C.S. Harris Now we reach the point where I started buying this series in hardback. And I hate hardback books. The fourth Sebastian St. Cyr book discovers Sebastian working with someone entirely unexpected: Hero Jarvis. A home for reformed fallen doves (ie women who want to escape prostitution) is burned to […]
For Camelot’s Honor (2005) Sarah Zettel I still love the cover, but the contents didn’t live up to my memory. I’m not saying it was a bad story–it’s not–I just remember it as being fabulous, and instead it’s just fine. Elen is the daughter of a Welsh chieftan, and King Arthur wants her family to […]
Why Mermaids Sing (2007) C.S. Harris This is a hard book. Lots of terrible things are revealed, which are very hard for Sebastian (and the reader) to bear. These discoveries, however, are separate from the mystery. Young men are being killed–butchered in a horrible way–and the Magistrate Lovejoy asks St. Cry for his help, because […]
When Gods Die (2006) C.S. Harris I have to admit, I’m reading slower than I have been, because I can’t afford to buy the eBook version, so I’m re-reading my paperbacks. It’s odd how much more comfortable I find an eBook to read. Plus, if I fall asleep reading an eBook, I don’t loose my […]
What Angels Fear (2005) C.S. Harris Sebastian St. Cyr is a young nobleman who returned from the wars with France wanting only to forget, but unable to do so, and thus unable to fit back into society. His refusal to wed and produce and heir only makes his already poor relationship with his father even […]
In Camelot’s Shadow (2004) Sarah Zettel I originally picked this book up because I fell in love with the cover. This is one of my favorite book covers, ever. It’s gorgeous, it’s romantic, and it shows an active heroine not in need to rescue, but capable of defending herself. Luckily, the book lives up to […]
Broken Homes (2014) Ben Aaronovitch This is the fourth Rivers of London book, in which we find Peter Grant–son of a jazz man and an immigrant from Sierra Leon–becoming comfortable in his position at constable and apprentice magician. That’s not a common or even popular status in the London Force. His fellow apprentice, Lesley, is […]
Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives (2011) edited by Justin Gustainis As the title says, this is a collection of supernatural mysteries. “Little Better than a Beast: A Marla Mason Story” by T. A. Pratt “Dusted: A Cosa Nostradamus Story” by Laura Anne Gilman “The Demon You Know… A Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom Story” […]
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009) Alan Bradley As usual, I didn’t re-read the blurb before diving in, so I had no idea what was was starting, besides a mystery. The title made me think of the South, and cotton plantations, and pecan pie. I was very very wrong in this. It […]
She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth (2011) Helen Castor This was my most recent “read before bed” book, so it took me quite awhile to finish, and I can’t say that a lot of it will stick with me, but it was interesting. The book looks at queens who attempted to rule England […]
Midsummer Moon (1987) Laura Kinsale Let’s get the important thing out of the way first: This is a FABULOUS cover. There are many covers for this book, but this one–hands down–is the best. I mean, there is a HEDGEHOG in his pocket. A hedgehog that plays an important part in the story! He looked at […]
Weird Detectives: Recent Investigations (2013) edited by Paula Guran This is a collection of short stories previously published elsewhere, so I’d already read several of these stories. But there were several I had not, and several of the ones I’d read before were well worth reading again. This book has been sitting around for awhile, […]
Legacy of the Dead (2000) Charles Todd The fourth Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery finds Rutledge sent to Scotland–the last place he wants to go, for he still hears the voice of Hamish MacLeod over his shoulder, haranguing him, and reminding him of the dead lost in France during the Great War. But Lady Maude Gray […]
A Plague of Zombies (2012) Diana Gabaldon This was originally published in the anthology Down These Strange Streets, and is the story that made me look for other Lord John stories. Lord John (now Lieutenant-Colonel Grey) is sent to Jamaica to look into the unrest there. The governor had requested the military after a rebellion […]
The Custom of the Army (2012) Diana Gabaldon Another re-read. After a duel at an electric eel party (These used to be a Thing! Fascinating!) Hal decides it’s best if Lord John puts himself out of the way for awhile, so when his presence is requested in the Americas, to testify in a Court Martial, […]
Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade (2007) Diana Gabaldon This novel falls between the novellas Lord John and the Succubus and Lord John and the Haunted Soldier. Which makes for slightly complicated reading if you want to read in order, since the two novellas are in the same book. There are two story […]
Lord John and the Hand of Devils (2007) Diana Gabaldon Another re-read. I enjoyed these the first time around, and I’m enjoying them just as much the second time around. This is NOT a novel, this is, instead, three novellas. Because, apparently, this is as close to a short story as Diana Gabaldon can get. […]
Lord John and the Private Matter (2003) Diana Gabaldon I’m in another mood where I don’t know what I want to read, so I instead chose to re-read something I enjoyed. This time it was Lord John and the Private Matter. Lord John Gray is a Major in the British Army. Additionally, as next oldest, […]
The Mammoth Book of Historical Crime Fiction (2011) edited by Mike Ashley Introduction: Return to the Crime Scene by Mike Ashley Archimedes and the Scientific Method by Tom Holt Something to do with Diana by Steven Saylor Eyes of the Icon by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer Night of the Snow Wolf by Peter Tremayne […]
Kitty (1979) Marion Chesney and M. C. Beaton Anymore, Kitty just wants to be warm. But her mother wants her to make a good marriage, to move the family socially upward, and is willing to do almost anything to achieve that marriage. There’s also a mystery–after Kitty becomes a very rich heiress, it appears someone […]
An Affair of Honor (2011) Candice Hern This was both enjoyable and frustrating. First the frustrating. She was in the process of removing a jaunty black beaver hat with a green plume, to reveal hair of a remarkable shade of russet, and eyes of almost the exact same color. What? She has red eyes? That’s… […]
Desperate Measures (2011) Candice Hern Lydia Bettridge is in love with a gentleman who seems not the slightest bit interested in her. So her brother and his best friend, Philip Hartwell, cook up a plan to make this gentleman jealous. Unfortunately for Lydia, not knowing who the gentleman in question is her brother and Philip […]
A Change of Heart (2011) Candice Hern Lady Mary Haviland is quite content being a spinster. In fact, she enjoys being a somewhat eccentric spinster, making friends with all sorts, including rakes. “I much prefer the man who is open adn straightforward in his dealing with people, even if he does not often stay strictly […]
A Proper Companion (2011) Candice Hern Emily Townsend is of good birth, but impoverished (her mother ran away with her father, and was disowned by her parents), so Emily takes one of the only options available to a genteel lady: a companion to an older woman. Robert, Lord Bradleigh is a recently betrothed Earl with […]