Can't Wait Wednesday: The Seaside Murders by Helena Dixon (The Secret Detective Agency Book Two)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Seaside Murders, by Helena Dixon. I've read the first book in her other series featuring heroine Kitty Underhay and it was cute. I'd like to start this one eventually as well. There are always so many new cozies to feature!

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

April 30, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

A pretty seaside town, a body on the beach, and a boatload of clues. Can super-sleuth Miss Jane Treen solve the mystery?

England, 1941. When Jane Treen is summoned to her boss’s office at the end of a long day, she smooths down her tweed skirt and makes them both another strong pot of coffee. Brigadier Remmington-Blythe slides a folded copy of the evening newspaper towards her, with one small article circled in red ink. A body has been found on an English beach in the little seaside town where she grew up, and he wants her to investigate.

Jane is used to managing secret agents and spies, but she is now part of The Secret Detective Agency, England’s answer to solving the most mysterious murders. Making her way to the coast and brimming with curiosity, she’s heartened that shy and handsome codebreaking genius Arthur Cilento will be joining her to help her wade through the fishy goings-on. Although Jane doubts he will appreciate her bringing her beloved one-eyed cat, Marmaduke.

Together, Jane and Arthur drop anchor in her crumbling childhood home overlooking the sandy beach where the body was found. Surrounded by potential suspects, their eyes are on a devious doctor, an eccentric artist, and a secret sweetheart. But as Jane and Arthur are searching for the truth, those giving evidence start to clam up. One thing seems certain...they need to reel in the killer before they’re out of their depth.

Can The Secret Detective Agency triumph again, or will they meet their watery end at high tide?

The Deeds of the Disturber by Elizabeth Peters (Amelia Peabody Book 5)

 

Publication Date:

January 1, 1988

Genre:

Cozy Mystery

Length:

389 pages

Series:

Amelia Peabody Mysteries

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

Can fear kill? There are those who believe so but Amelia Peabody is skeptical. A respected Egyptologist and amateur sleuth, Amelia has foiled felonious schemes from Victoria's England to the Middle East. And she doubts that it was a Nineteenth-Dynasty mummy's curse that caused the death of a night watchman in the British Museum. The corpse was found sprawled in the mummy's shadow, a look of terror frozen on the guard's face. 

What or who killed the unfortunate man is a mystery that seems too intriguingly delicious for Amelia to pass up, especially now that she, her dashing archaeologist husband, Emerson, and their precocious son, Ramses, are back on Britain's shores. 

But a contemporary curse can be as lethal as one centuries old and the foggy London thoroughfares can be as treacherous as the narrow, twisting alleyways of Cairo after dark when a perpetrator of evil deeds sets his murderous sights on his relentless pursuer... Amelia Peabody!

My Thoughts:

I seem to be on an Egypt kick this year! I wanted something to listen to besides Agatha Christie books and thought I'd finish this Amelia Peabody I'd started last winter. I prefer reading her books and am reading the next book in the series alongside listening to this one. It's strange because when I finished book 4 I thought I'd take a break from this series but something drew me back in. I am enjoying catching up with Amelia, Emerson, and Ramses again.

I've read this is the only book in the series that takes place in England. I confess that was disappointing because part of the draw is the exotic locations and the explorations of the Peabodys in the pyramids. But I just know that these books can be complex at times and I needed to make sure I read this one to fill in any gaps Also, I like the characters of Walter and Evelyn (Emerson's brother and his wife) and since they are in England with their brood of children, I knew this might be one of the few that included them going forward.

In addition to the mystery of the guard's death, the Peabody's have been saddled with Amelia's brother James' very odd children. They seem to act innocent but get into all kinds of weird situations with Ramses. I began to actually feel sorry for him early in the book. It's a good peek into Amelia's family and her strange upbringing.

Stacking the Shelves #55

 

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Reading Reality. It's a place to showcase any books I have purchased, borrowed, or been lucky enough to have been given an advance copy of. Hope you find something that looks interesting to you or that makes you remember a favorite book you need to finish. Enjoy your reading this week!

Kindle Offer: Free 

This is book one in the series, Veronica Vale Investigates. It was free so I got it because I like free books and book one in any cozy series. I hadn't heard of this one yet but what a cute, pretty cover!

Book description from Goodreads:

Veronica Vale spent a turbulent few years serving her country during the Great War - doing more than her role in the exchange network suggested. Now back on British soil and adjusting to life as an obituary writer for her uncle's newspaper, while caring for her ailing mother, Veronica has gotten used to a slower (and safer) pace of life. Excitement comes from fun parties, walks with Benji, her beloved rescue dog, and volunteering at the dogs' home.

When an old family friend, and former superstar of the theatre, Florence Sterling, is discovered dead in her dressing room at the Winter Garden Theatre in London, Veronica is curious to discover what happened to the sweet, funny, ruthlessly ambitious beauty.

Much to the dismay of her sometimes nemesis Inspector Templeton, Veronica is tasked with writing Florence's obituary. And what she learns will blow the roof off the theatre! That's if she survives to tell the tale.

Kindle Offer: Free 

Another cozy freebie I had to get. I just seem to collect them! This series is called, Cressida Fawcett Mysteries. Another beautiful cover and it looks cute. Who knows when I'll get to it and it's book five in this series but free books are hard to ignore. I have another by this author so it's one I'll read eventually or go back and start with book one first. 

Book description from Goodreads:

The Honorable Cressida Fawcett is expecting the cathedral crypt to be full of dry old bones. But when she finds a body murdered just moments before, she’ll need divine inspiration to solve her most mysterious case yet…

Winchester, 1925. When heiress and amateur sleuth Cressida Fawcett is invited to her aunt’s mansion on Cloister Close, she is looking forward to a quiet stay in the historic town. The views of the cathedral are heavenly – and her aunt’s maid, Nancy, makes devilishly good ginger biscuits! But it seems Cressy and her pug Ruby won’t be allowed to rest in peace… On a tour of the crypt, they are shocked to stumble across the body of Anthony, the gentle, devoted verger. And a wild-eyed Nancy is standing over him, bloodied candlestick in hand…

Since Nancy was caught red-handed and the only other suspect is the Silent Friar, the legendary local ghost, Detective Andrews of Scotland Yard thinks the case is closed. But Nancy swears she would never have killed Anthony; they were in love. And while Cressy may not believe in ghosts, she does believe Nancy. So, whose soul is full of murder most foul? And will they strike again?

As she digs through parishioner gossip, Cressy discovers that for a man of the cloth, the verger had a surprising number of enemies. Was a local antiques dealer driven to murder over an illegal trade in holy relics? Would the head bellringer kill to achieve his musical ambitions? Or is the saintly Dean, whose black-cloaked figure resembles the Silent Friar and whose wife recently drowned, hiding a deadly sin?

The cathedral conceals many secrets, and it seems Cressy will need a miracle to uncover the truth. But then Cressy finds a hidden passageway to the crypt. Is this how the murderer escaped? The skeptical police lack faith in her theories, but can she catch the killer and save Nancy from the hangman’s noose? Or will she be too late to prevent another funeral march?

Amazon Purchase: $8

I rarely buy brand new books. This one was cheaper to buy in hardcover than on Kindle which I found very odd. It's by an author who writes about the Crusades in both history and historical fiction. She's got a great blog too. Her name is Helena P. Schrader and this book is so unique. 

As a Crusades history buff I've had my eye on its release for awhile now. She says she also tried to write it simply and as if one doesn't know all about it yet. I like that as some history books on this era can get bogged down in details over my head. Her historical fiction is good for the same reason.

Book description from Goodreads:

In the mild climate of the Mediterranean, a rare blossom, once a prosperous, urbanized society inhabited by various ethnic and religious groups living harmoniously together for nearly two-hundred years. At the apex of this society, ruled a feudal elite notorious for its wealth and love of luxury. It was composed of politically savvy, diplomatically adept, well-educated and multilingual men – and women.

These women played an astonishing and indispensable role in shaping the character of their unique society. They were ruling queens, independent barons, nuns and pilgrims. They were merchants and artisans, diplomats and spies. They were warriors defending besieged cities and the most pitiful victims of conflict as slaves after a defeat.

While many primary sources readily recorded specific and noteworthy actions taken by individual women, there is no comprehensive or systematic description of women’s contribution to the life and society of Outremer. All we have are fragments of a mosaic badly damaged by time. Yet even these remnants have largely been neglected due to the prevailing emphasis on the era’s military history.

The Powerful Women of Outremer redresses that imbalance. In a chronological narrative, women’s contributions to the crusader states are highlighted. The book then explores women’s societal role in thematic chapters. Finally, a series of short biographies shine a light on the lives of individual women. By piecing together the scattered remnants of the historical mosaic, The Powerful Women of Outremer offers readers a clearer understanding of the importance of women to the history of the Near East and a richer picture of the women themselves.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cardinal by Alison Weir

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Cardinal, by Alison Weir. I have yet to read one of Weir's fiction books. This one looks like a subject I'd learn a lot about as the ones on the Tudor queens are people I read a lot about in years past. So this one looks like a good one to read for me. I really enjoy her history books so I'm hoping I like the fiction as well. I want to compare it to the book I read by David Field, The King's Commoner,  on the same subject. That gave me some good background. 

I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!

History/Historical British Fiction

May 22, 2025

Book description courtesy of Goodreads

An extraordinary rise to power. A tragic fall from grace. 

It begins with young Tom Wolsey, the bright and brilliant son of a Suffolk tradesman, sent to study at Oxford at just eleven years old.

It ends with a disgraced cardinal, cast from the King's side and estranged from the woman he loves.

The years in between tell the story of a scholar and a lover, a father and a priest. From the court of Henry VIII, Tom builds a powerful empire of church and state. At home in London, away from prying eyes, he finds joy in a secret second life.

But when King Henry, his cherished friend, demands the ultimate sacrifice, what will Wolsey choose?

Alison Weir's riveting new Tudor novel reveals the two lives of Cardinal Wolsey, a tale of power, passion and ambition.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Bookish Questions For My Blogger Friends

 

This week's theme for Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, is about unpopular bookish opinions. I was struggling to come up with a full list of ten on that topic.  So I decided to do my own thing and it's a topic I am really excited about! I am in awe of so many of my fellow bloggers and their creativity, technology skills, etc. Also the amount and depth of books read are astonishing from some of them! So, here are ten questions for my fellow bloggers, book lovers, or anyone who has insight. I'd love feedback! 

Happy Top Ten Tuesday :) 

1. Do you finish all the books in a series? Meaning....do you continue with the books in order until done or start multiple series and read more if you feel like it's a good one? I sometimes feel compelled to read them all but there's only so much time!

2. Do you have a favorite genre and stick to it? On my blog I exclusively focus on history, historical fiction, and historical mysteries. No modern literature. I am just not interested in it myself but I still love reading blogs with all kinds of books represented. 

3.How do you organize your books? In Kindle or on your shelves? Mine are organized by author if I have books or samples of three or more by them. I also have a section for "one hit wonders", or authors who only have one book I'm interested in. 

4. Do you download and keep samples thinking eventually you will buy the book? I have waaaaayyyyy too many samples! But I will forget about the book or wish I could remember it later so if a book looks interesting and is too expensive to justify buying at the moment I keep the sample with the section it goes in. 

5. Word Press or Blogger? Or something else? Right now I just can't afford Word Press but feel Blogger sometimes limits me when being creative with posts. Those of you on Blogger or even the totally free Blogspot......have you found the desire to use another platform? Why or why not? Any tips or tricks for creativity that took you awhile to learn?

6. Do you have a reading schedule? And a blogging schedule? Sometimes I find my schedule I set for myself getting a bit stale. But if I don't plan it out and stick to it the week gets away from me and then things don't get done. Any tips from my long term bloggers out there?

7. Do you take notes when reading a book so you will remember things when you write a review? I have not wanted to do this so far. It spoils the enjoyment of my reading. But then I often find I get to the end of the book and am frustrated that my review isn't as thorough as it could be. 

8. What do you like to discuss on your blog that isn't review related? I am always looking for fresh content to post, not just reviews or the same old stuff. 

9. DNF books (Did Not Finish).....this is huge for me! What to do with books you don't like, quit after awhile or just know you will NEVER read?? I have a hard time deleting anything because there are books I've "grown" into later. It is so stressful, this question (I'm too obsessive, lol)....what do you do with these?

10. And finallly.....how did you get more followers? This is something I struggle with because I don't tell many people about my blog. What are some tips to grow your blog and its followers?

I could probably come up with ten more but these are the ones rattling around in my head all the time. All feedback welcome!!