Where the Dead Lie, Audiobook (2017) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr # 12) Set in England in 1812 Content warnings: rape and torture of teenagers (off page) the brutalized body of a 15-year-old boy dumped into a makeshift grave on the grounds of an abandoned factory. One of London’s many homeless […]
An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder (2024) Dianne Freeman (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #7) Set in Paris in 1900 Frances and her husband, George, have two points of interest in Paris. One is an impromptu holiday to visit the Paris Exposition. The other is personal. George’s Aunt Julia has requested her nephew’s help […]
The Leper of Saint Giles (1981) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael #5) Set in Shropshire England in 1139 “I hope she may be beautiful,” said Mark. “Prior Robert would be interested to hear you say so,” said Cadfael drily. blessedness is what can be snatched out of the passing day, and put away to […]
When Falcons Fall, Audiobook (2016) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr # 11) Set in England in 1813 Content warnings: rape (off page) Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, has come to this seemingly peaceful Shropshire village to honor a slain friend and on a quest to learn more about his own ancestry. […]
Who Buries the Dead, Audiobook (2015) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr # 10) Set in England in 1813. Content warning: rape, slavery (off page) The vicious decapitation of Stanley Preston, a wealthy, socially ambitious plantation owner, at Bloody Bridge draws Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, into a macabre and increasingly perilous […]
The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies (2023) Alison Goodman (The Ill-Mannered Ladies) Set in England in 1812 Content warnings: spousal abuse, homophobia, cancer, rape (off-page), child abuse & sexual assault (off-page), detailed description of medical procedure without anesthesia. Gus and Julia, middle-aged twins who have never married, become involved in nefarious activities by accident, in […]
Saint Peter’s Fair (1981) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in Shropshire England in 1139 St. Peter’s Fair is a grand, festive event, attracting merchants from across England and beyond. There is a pause in the civil war racking the country in the summer of 1139, and the fair promises to bring some much-needed […]
A Deceptive Composition (2024) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby Mystery) Set in England in 1832 Lord Gage has received a letter from his aunt Amelia, informing him that his Uncle Branok Roscarrock, is dead, she believes it was murder, and asks Lord Gage to come investigate–even though Lord Gage hasn’t spoken to his relatives since […]
Why Kings Confess, Audiobook (2014) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1813 Content warning: discussion of historical child abuse and imprisonment A contingent from France is rumored to be in London for peace talks, when the young doctor with the group is found brutally murdered–with his heart cut […]
A Dangerous Madness (2014) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812 “I can’t marry you, Pheebs. I know that’s going to make things difficult for you and I want to go through with it, of course I do, it would solve a number of problems, but I don’t have the time for it, […]
What Darkness Brings, AudiobBook (2013) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in London in 1812 Russell Yates, Kat Boleyn’s husband, has been accused of the murder of Benjamin Eisler. Hendon asks Sebastian to help–not for Yates’ sake but for Kat’s. It seems that Eisler had a giant blue diamond he was […]
A Grave Robbery (2024) Deanna Raybourn (Veronica Speedwell) Set in London in 1889 Lord Rosemoran has purchased an amazing wax figure that may or may not be an Anatomical Venus, and has asked Stoker to see if he can add a clockwork mechanism to simulate breathing. He gestured towards her midsection. “Well, if she is […]
When Maidens Mourn, Audiobook (2012) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1812 Sebastian St. Cyr’s plans to escape the heat of London for a honeymoon with his new bride, Hero Jarvis, are shattered when the murdered body of Hero’s good friend Gabrielle Tennyson is discovered drifting in a […]
Monk’s Hood (1980) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in England in 1138 The tide of civil war between King Stephen and the partisans of the Empress Maud had receded into the southwestern borders, leaving Shrewsbury to recover cautiously from having backed the weaker side and paid a bloody price for it. Pope Innocent […]
Where Shadows Dance, Audiobook (2011) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in London in 1812 When Paul Gibson purchases his latest cadaver for research, he discovers the young man, Alexander Ross, did not die of a weak heart, but was instead murdered. Unable to report the discovery that his stolen corpse […]
What Remains of Heaven, Audio Book (2009/2016) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1812. When the controversial, reform-minded Bishop of London is found bludgeoned to death in an ancient crypt beside the corpse of an unidentified man murdered decades before, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is asked by […]
One Corpse Too Many (1979) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in England in 1138. This is set with the civil war between King Stephen and Empress Maud in the forefront of the story. In this early summer of 1138 the fratricidal strife, hitherto somewhat desultory, was already two years old, but never before […]
Where Serpents Sleep, Audiobook (2008/2015) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1812. Oddly, on the same day, the book I was listening to and the book I read both had passages about the murder of Prime Minister Spenser Percival. I prefer the “solution” presented in the other book […]
The Emperor’s Conspiracy (2012) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in England in 1811. Once you accept the premise of the relationship between Charlotte and Lady Howe, this is a fantastic mystery and romance. Lady Howe really is marvelous. “There is no man in this house,” Catherine said into the silence. “So I’ll ask you as […]
Why Mermaids Sing, Audio Book (2007/2015) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1811. Several young men have been found dead, their bodies mutilated. As several are from prominent families who refuse to speak to the police, Sir Henry Lovejoy begs Sebastian for help. If I’m lucky, I’ll be […]
Banquet of Lies (2013) Michelle Diener (Regency London) Set in London in 1812. Another favorite. “We’ve been fattening Mavis up,” Iris said, and something in the way she said it made Gigi go very still. If this was evidence of Mavis with more meat on her bones, she must have been a walking skeleton when […]
When Gods Die, Audio Book (2006/2015) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1811. At the Prince Regents dinner party, the beautiful young wife of an elderly marquis is found dead–stabbed in the back, her clothing partially undone. Jarvis immediately starts to cover up the prince’s involvement, but he […]
A Morbid Taste for Bones (1977) Ellis Peters (Chronicles of Brother Cadfael) Set in England in 1137. The herbarium in particular was his kingdom, for he had built it up gradually through the fifteen years of labour, and added to it many exotic plants of his own careful raising, collected in a roving youth that […]
And Nothing But The Truth (2024) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) The body of a man is discovered by a woman out for a run, but he has no identification and he doesn’t match any missing persons reports. This mystery has an unknown man (who is eventually named) and dead wife who doesn’t seem to be […]
Phantom Pond (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s Mischief Night, and everyone is ready for games and treats and tricks–and everyone knows not to go into the woods, or creeping Juniper, the witch who lives there, will get you. First, I really love this series. She jumped in surprise but then realized it was only […]
What Angels Fear, Audio Book (2005/2014) C.S. Harris narrated by Davina Porter (Sebastian St. Cyr) Set in England in 1811 A young actress has been found horribly murdered, in St Matthews of the Fields’ Lady Chapel, and a deuling pistol with Viscount Devlin’s device on the trigger guard. I am so far behind on this […]
Twilight Falls (2023) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s spring in Shady Hollow, and romance is everywhere. Vera even convinces Orville to take her on a picnic to the famous Twilight Falls. Wooden rails had been erected close to the banks to prevent anyone from straying too close. And for good reason: the flow was swift […]
Evergreen Chase (2021) Juneau Black (Shady Hollow) It’s almost Solstice, but someone has stolen Shady Hollow’s solstice tree–the tallest in the forest! The one that Callum Burrows has been been tending for years. It’s been my privilege to tend this year’s tree. It was selected thirty-six years ago, and it’s become the finest, tallest, and […]
Lock, Stock and Peril (2022) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Thia ia set during the second year of the pandemic. Campbell had never been so fit and healthy as over the past year. They’d walked miles with him, singly or together, and when they’d been able to form a bubble with Adam’s mum, she’d volunteered to […]
Cry Wolf (2021) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Any resemblance to actual persons or events is coincidental. Though if you do know of a criminal plot involving werewolves that has taken place at any of these locales, that is a coincidence I would love to know about. I love that Cayla–and Coopers interactions with her […]
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing (2020) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) It’s the random, unexpected passages that delight me. And then there were the days—not many, but memorable ones—Cooper had come home unexpectedly or woken up a little earlier than usual to find Park “in fur” sticking his considerably longer nose into those impossible-to-reach places while […]
Thrown to the Wolves (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) Cooper meets Oliver’s family. It goes worse than expected. And one was expecting it to go badly, what with it being a funeral. Cooper put the guidebook down and cleared his throat. This was getting ridiculous. “Did you tell them I was coming?” Park blinked […]
A Carriage of Misjustice (2020) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) I still find it odd how a story that is perfectly adequate but nothing special can work so well as a comfort read. Possibly it’s just the sheer decency of the two main characters. Like any parish, Lindenshaw had its share of people who would prefer […]
The Wolf at Bay (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) I love the beginning of the book so much. “You’ve been standing here staring at that flower shop for fifteen minutes. So is it for her birthday or anniversary, or are you making up for a fight? Because I’ve been married for thirty-two years, and […]
Blitz, Audio Book (2022) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Moira Quirk (The Rook Files) “What is this? You’re—what? You’re—you’re scrying my family? In a cup of coffee?” “Legally, scrying is seeing the future,” said the woman. “I’m showing the present. Of a location within a 36.876-kilometer radius. Through an aperture of up to 41.34 inches.” “Is […]
Where There’s a Kilt, There’s a Way (2021) Ella Stainton (Kilty Pleasures) Set in Scotland and Sweden in 1930 (I)t gave Joachim a place where he could pay rent instead of sponging off his lover and not have to ask to borrow Ainsley’s motorcar. Not that Ainsley minded—he never seemed put out to share at […]
An Unexpected Peril, Audio Edition (2021) Deanna Raybourn narrated by Angele Masters (Veronica Speedwell) Set in London in 1889 “He said it was the oddest little place he had ever been. One mountain, one small city, one castle, and seventy varieties of beer. He remembered it with great difficulty,” Stoker was never happier than when […]
The Wolf at the Door (2019) Charlie Adhara (Big Bad Wolf) “It’s a standing joke around the Trust that the real reason behind the coming-out was to combat the number of public indecency charges wolves rack up every year.” “You’ve got exactly twenty-seven hours and then I’m coming in there and trimming you down,” Park […]
Old Sins (2019) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) the real desire they felt for entering into that partnership, the official statement that they were a couple and intended to be until death they did part, kept being destroyed by the stress surrounding making arrangements. The two cars already present were at either end of the tarmacked […]
Lady Ambition’s Dilemma (2024) Jane Steen (Lady Helena Investigates) Set in England in 1883. Lady Helena is approaching the end of her mourning period, following the death of her husband in 1881. Although she still misses Justin, she is ready to return to the world–and her growing feelings for Armand Fortier also need to be […]
Two Feet Under (2018) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Grace had no time for television crime dramas and the way they played fast and loose with crime scenes and forensic matters. Shoddy procedures and the depiction of seemingly limitless budgets; both riled her. “God, that would be awful. They must be twitching each time the phone […]
Speculations in Sin (2024) Jennifer Ashley (Kat Holloway / Below Stairs Mystery) Set in London in 1883 Joanna–Kat’s best friend and the woman who keeps Grace, Joanna’s daughter, is in trouble. Her husband has been accused of embezzlement, and if he loses his job not only will Grace have nowhere to live, but Joanna and […]
Winter’s Gifts, Audio Book (2023) Ben Aaronovitch narrated by Penelope Rawlins (Rivers of London) I actually listened to this in February, but missed logging it somehow. This is Kimberly Reynold’s story, and as such, we get Penelope Rawlins instead of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. She does an good job of Kimberly Reynolds voice, but less so of […]
Jury of One (2016) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) “I’ve run Sandra to ground, sir. He had her listed under ‘Booty girl’.” “Charming.” Robin’s impression of Hatton continued to plummet. “How attached was he to Beryl?” Anderson cut in. “Beryl?” Zandra laughed. “Oh, bless.” Robin narrowed his eyes and tried not to write “superior, supercilious cow.” […]
Mirror Lake (2020) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery) Orville Braun has decided to run for sheriff, and Vera’s boss, BW Stone, wants Vera to give the paper the inside scoop. But Vera has ethics and decides to consult the local lawyer for advice. “Ah, but now you have the important phrase on the advice […]
The Rook, Audio Book (2012) Daniel O’Malley narrated by Susan Duerden Our computer network is not connected to any external system. If you try to track us down, you will not find us, but we will find you. It seemed as if no one could be relied on, no one could be trusted. That belief […]
Cold Clay (2017) Juneau Black (A Shady Hollow Mystery) Things have been returning to normal in Shadow Hollow–until a skeleton is discovered in Cold Clay Orchards during harvest. Vera Vixen manages to be there to catch all the details. “Whatever it is, Vera, remember that I’m the one they called. You can observe from a […]
Honey Mead Murder (2023) Dahlia Donovan (Honey Bear Cosy Mysteries) George Sheth keeps bees and provides honey to the local brewery for making mead. He also has a huge crush on the owner/manager, Murphy Baird. Ready and dressed for the day, George decided to do the mature adult thing. He’d put the problem off for […]
The Best Corpse for the Job (2014) Charlie Cochrane (Lindenshaw Mysteries) Queer cozy mystery: a comforting reread. Note to self, three: Don’t even think about falling for him. Too complicated. (p. 46) Note to self, four: do not ignore note three. (p. 46) Note to self, five: Do not ignore note three. Remember? (p. 47) […]
Who Killed Sherlock Holmes? Audio Book (2016) Paul Cornell narrated by Damian Lynch (Shadow Police) ‘Who are these people?’ said Costain. ‘What sort of gang includes old ladies, American mercenaries, prisoners called Dean Michael and South Sea islanders of limited stature?’ She had to exercise harder these days, she’d found, because her body was used […]