The mystery this time was interesting, because we knew who did it very early on so it become more about why he did it, and how. There is a level of grThe mystery this time was interesting, because we knew who did it very early on so it become more about why he did it, and how. There is a level of grotesqueness to this world that is just on the verge of "ew no" for me, though, so not sure whether I will continue with further books.
(Also, Bennett is very clearly yelling "kings and strong men are bad" in this book, fair enough, yet the Empire is presented by Bennett as a positive force for development and he doesn't question that??)...more
The Tainted Cup had a slow start, and while I found Bennett's worldbuilding interesting it was also very...dense, I guess? There were a lot of detailsThe Tainted Cup had a slow start, and while I found Bennett's worldbuilding interesting it was also very...dense, I guess? There were a lot of details and terms and foreign ideas thrown around, and combined with the slower pace I felt a little overwhelmed.
The plot took off for me about a third of the way through the book, and I enjoyed the mystery. I guessed most of the revelations, but some I didn't! But all the characters felt flat to me, even Din, and I couldn't shake the feeling that they existed to propel the plot rather than reverse (the plot serving to flesh out the characters)....more
A cute little sequel to Emma, but with more murder and the return of the poultry thief! It's not an Austen pastiche as Kelly doesn't try to c2.5 stars
A cute little sequel to Emma, but with more murder and the return of the poultry thief! It's not an Austen pastiche as Kelly doesn't try to copy Jane Austen's voice, but I felt like most of the characters were recognizable. The pace, though, was glacially slow, and Kelly easily could have shaved 100 pages off--the murderer's motives are explained at the end, but it took an awful long (plodding) time to get there....more
I liked the cozy mystery aspect of this story; less so the romance subplot, as Maggie was a frustrating protagonist (a lot of her banter came2.5 stars
I liked the cozy mystery aspect of this story; less so the romance subplot, as Maggie was a frustrating protagonist (a lot of her banter came across mean rather than fun) and Ethan came off as bland yet also overly flirty? I think the first half of the book was stronger than the second half, because it got bogged down in relationship drama and then wrapped up the mystery way too fast....more
I think the problem with reading a multi-book series as they're published--as opposed to racing them all at once--is that my ability to remember what I think the problem with reading a multi-book series as they're published--as opposed to racing them all at once--is that my ability to remember what happened in what particular book definitely lessens with the passage of time.
I like the characters in the Lady Sherlock series, how much each of them have grown, and I like the romance of Charlotte and Ash, but I can't keep track of everything that previously happened, especially when Thomas gives minimal explanations about past characters and events.
I also am not sure what Moriarty's goal is, besides overall evil and chaos? I know Charlotte and co. have to stop him, but his *~*everything*~* remains somewhat nebulous even eight books in. I think that may be why I prefer the original Holmes stories to pretty much any of its adaptations--they're much more self-contained....more
Loved the setting (Egypt during the reign of Cleopatra VII) but oh boy was the first half of the book slow. It felt like Stabenow took a while to get Loved the setting (Egypt during the reign of Cleopatra VII) but oh boy was the first half of the book slow. It felt like Stabenow took a while to get her footing, but once (view spoiler)[Tetisheri and Apollodorus found the chests (hide spoiler)] the plot really took off, and we finally got a glimpse of Cleopatra's cunning. Tetisheri is a good investigator, kind and insightful, and I like the setting a lot, so I might pick up the next two books....more
Like book #10, Death on the Tiber heavily references one of the Falco mysteries, in this case The Jupiter Myth. I have not read it, but Davis explainsLike book #10, Death on the Tiber heavily references one of the Falco mysteries, in this case The Jupiter Myth. I have not read it, but Davis explains everything you need to know within the story.
Flavia Albia begins the novel by investigating the death of a British woman found drowned in the Tiber, and the plot spirals out from there to involve a lot of gangster family maneuvering and drama. Over the course of the story, Albia comes to terms with events from her very traumatic past, and I liked how Tiberius let her process things on her own but was always there for backup when she needed it. They're a great couple....more
I liked the setting that Downie created of Roman-era Coria, now Corbridge in Northumberland, and all the little historical details as well, but the paI liked the setting that Downie created of Roman-era Coria, now Corbridge in Northumberland, and all the little historical details as well, but the pacing was so very slow and Ruso remains a very poor investigator of mysteries. Unsure whether I'll continue onto book #3....more
I tagged this as both historical fiction and mystery, but it's more the former than the latter. Ruso does figure out the murders by the end, 2.5 stars
I tagged this as both historical fiction and mystery, but it's more the former than the latter. Ruso does figure out the murders by the end, but he's a rather lackluster investigator--which probably makes sense, as he's just an army physician who got frustrated by the lack of answers. Slow-going, but I found the characters intriguing, especially Tilla....more
For a murderer who chose random victims (and covered their tracks moderately well), I feel like Eve solved this one way too quickly when ther2.5 stars
For a murderer who chose random victims (and covered their tracks moderately well), I feel like Eve solved this one way too quickly when there was relatively little evidence to go off of? (But I'm not sure that the murderer would have escalated so quickly either, so the timeline just overall felt too rushed to me.)...more
Jane and the Year Without a Summer felt like a very definite ending to the Jane Austen mysteries, so I was surprised to learn that a 15th and final voJane and the Year Without a Summer felt like a very definite ending to the Jane Austen mysteries, so I was surprised to learn that a 15th and final volume was released in October 2023!
If the previous book showed that Jane was slowly coming to terms with the fact that she was ill, Jane and the Final Mystery is even more bittersweet, as Jane is visibly very sick. In fact, I was expecting her to use her nephew Edward as an investigator/go-between more than she actually did--Jane manages to walk around and question people more than I thought she would given her state of health.
Jane and the Final Mystery featured a good, twisty mystery (I was rightfully suspicious of one character, but later revelations about them took me by surprise), but it felt less like a series conclusion and more like another episode in the series.
3.5 stars (reread recently for my library book club)
This is probably blasphemy to admit, but I found the beginning and the introduction of all the non3.5 stars (reread recently for my library book club)
This is probably blasphemy to admit, but I found the beginning and the introduction of all the non-Poirot characters on the Karnaka little slow. Really picks up from there, though, and I enjoyed that all the clues were staring me in the face until Poirot connected them all....more
I was sad to crack open the final Hilary Tamar book, but it was absolutely a delight. It primarily focuses on Julia's Aunt Regina, a hoot, but RagwortI was sad to crack open the final Hilary Tamar book, but it was absolutely a delight. It primarily focuses on Julia's Aunt Regina, a hoot, but Ragwort also has his brief moment in the spotlight with his letters from Cannes. Hilary's narration is perfect, there's loads of witty dialogue between the characters, and all the characters are interesting to read about. (Well, other than Daphne, but she's purposefully a sad sack.)
I only wish we could have gotten more than four of these mysteries, but alas....more
Not as dark as the previous book, Desperate Undertaking, which I appreciated! Flavia Albia starts out investigating a couple who ducked out on their bNot as dark as the previous book, Desperate Undertaking, which I appreciated! Flavia Albia starts out investigating a couple who ducked out on their bar tab and ends up looking into a freedman's legal status. There's a decades-old dispute about an orchard in there too.
The family dynamics get very complicated (you might want to read up a little about Roman personal nomenclature, because key plot developments involve the revelation of people's full names) but it's all made clear by the end....more
Nice little character moments here, like the first chapter visiting Roarke's family in Ireland or how Eve's squad has her back, but the actual murder Nice little character moments here, like the first chapter visiting Roarke's family in Ireland or how Eve's squad has her back, but the actual murder mystery felt lackluster. There's nothing linking the murderers to the crimes until the very end--and I'm not sure I bought the timing of their motivations--so it's mostly "Eve has a bad feeling" but nothing tangible....more
Desperate Undertaking is very very dark, and would probably benefit best from some knowledge of the Falco books--this one is heavily referencing Last Desperate Undertaking is very very dark, and would probably benefit best from some knowledge of the Falco books--this one is heavily referencing Last Act in Palmyra.
Someone is killing actors in recreations of mythological/theatrical scenes, and the death scenes were gruesome. There's a lot of trudging around, and once Albia guesses the murderer there's more of the book (and more murders) to go.
I'm hoping that the next volume is a bit lighter in tone!...more
I have read and enjoyed almost all of Simone St. James's books, although the standout for me will always be The Sun Down Motel. I was looking forward I have read and enjoyed almost all of Simone St. James's books, although the standout for me will always be The Sun Down Motel. I was looking forward to Murder Road, and the beginning is super strong: honeymooning couple pick up a young hitchhiker on a dark country road, and she dies before they can get her to the nearest hospital.
April is not the most likeable or reliable narrator, as she's clearly concealing past events and she comes across at times as cold and detached. Both April and her husband Eddie's pasts unfold throughout the story, and when the police view them as prime suspects they start to dig into the history of Atticus Line as well.
The good: short chapters, fast paced, secondary characters like Rose the widowed owner of the B&B or the teenage Snell sisters were really interesting.
The bad: I usually love the interplay between the mystery elements and the supernatural/ghostly side in St. James novels, but she lost me a little here. (view spoiler)[April and Eddie's investigation into who the Lost Girl was and how she died worked fine for me, but the revelation that the Lost Girl had been possessing people and making them kill numerous hitchhikers over the years felt like too much paranormal stuff. There were a lot of coincidences there, including why the police focused so heavily on April and Eddie. (hide spoiler)].
In short: a quick read, enjoyable and suspenseful until it got a little too crazy in the last third or so....more
This one started very slow, and I don't think the structure--each chapter alternates between Before, and After--helped much. I think I would have prefThis one started very slow, and I don't think the structure--each chapter alternates between Before, and After--helped much. I think I would have preferred that Ware had a number of After chapters, from Hannah learning that Neville died in prison to the journalist telling her that he might have been innocent, then all the Before chapters in sequential order, then back to After and Hannah talking to her college friends.
Hannah doesn't have much of a personality, unfortunately, as she's the nervous new girl in the Before bits and focused on her pregnancy in the After bits. The ending was also a A LOT (through process of elimination I guessed the killer, but not the motive at all), but I should have expected as much from a contemporary thriller....more
I'm always up for a new novel from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, because I feel like her premises are super intriguing. This one was a doozy: a lost gothic hoI'm always up for a new novel from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, because I feel like her premises are super intriguing. This one was a doozy: a lost gothic horror film, written by a German occultist, that just might be cursed.
There was a lot of exposition to wade through, about the Mexican film scene and the history of filmmaking--and I didn't mind too much, because I found it interesting. But I felt like the middle got bogged down in way too many explanations, as Montserrat reads passages from the occultist's book and questions people and starts digging into all this magical stuff.
And as the story got deeper and deeper, it felt like the focus shifted from the film stuff to magic, and I found the magic...harder to understand. We have the Big Bad, sure, but we also two other antagonists, and it's all runes and mystical stuff and unexplained danger. The climax is fast-paced, but also a little confusing....more
