Monday, December 23, 2024

Murder at the Dolphin Hotel by Helena Dixon (Book One: A Miss Underhay Mystery)

Publication Date:
December 11, 2019

Genre:
Cozy Mysteries

Series:
Miss Underhay Mysteries

Length:
252 pages

Book Description (Good Reads)

A room with a view… to murder

June 1933. Independent young Kitty Underhay has been left in charge of her family’s hotel, The Dolphin, on the tranquil English coast. She’s expecting her days at the bustling resort to be filled with comfortable chatter with chambermaids as they polish the mahogany desks and glittering candelabras of the elegant foyer. Everything must be perfect for the arrival of a glamourous jazz singer from Chicago and a masked ball that will be the cultural highlight of the season.

But when several rooms are broken into and searched, including Kitty’s own, she quickly realises that something out of the ordinary is afoot at the hotel. Soon rumours are flying in the cozy town that someone is on the hunt for a stolen ruby. A ruby that Kitty’s mother may well have possessed when she herself went missing during the Great War. And when the break-ins are followed by a series of attacks and murders, including of the town’s former mayoress, it seems the perpetrator will stop at nothing to find it.

Aided by ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, the Dolphin’s new security officer, Kitty is determined to decipher this mystery and preserve not only the reputation of her hotel, but also the lives of her guests. Is there a cold-blooded killer under her own roof? And what connects the missing jewel to the mystery from Kitty’s own past?

My Thoughts:

This is my second time to read this book. Actually, all the way through...the first time I read about a third and stopped. I think I was just overwhelmed with other books and reviews at the time and didn't finish it. I picked it up again and am glad I did. I confess it wasn't my favorite cozy series but that is because I've read so many this year it is sometimes hard to choose. And the story lines blur together too.

Kitty is the typical independent woman of her time. She helps with the running of the Dolphin Hotel along with her beloved grandmother who is absent for much of the book, caring for her sister. Kitty is left in charge and thinks she is only preparing for guests and fancy parties. She doesn't realize she's about to embark on a sleuthing expedition for a missing ruby, her missing mother, her missing father and will have help from a dashing man, Matthew Bryant. Her grandmother has hired Matt to look after security and Kitty and Matt have immediate chemistry. As Kitty seems to be in some danger from someone who is committing thefts and then murder, Matt feels very protective of her and it becomes more than a job.

I enjoyed the banter between the two and the story line. Kitt's missing mother and the reasons behind why she is missing were the main parts that kept me intrigued. If the murders and jewels had been the only plot it wouldn't have worked as well. Also, having her father be a mysterious, shady character who appears to have gotten Kitty's mother with child and deserted them both added to the drama. The ending left open many story arcs to come so that means the series has a ways to go. 

I will likely pick up book two eventually. I seem to be in a pattern of reading book one of a series and then moving on later if I feel like it. I can't say this would be my first series choice but it wasn't bad. I just didn't find myself as bonded to the characters as some others. Also, the history parts about Matthew being in WW1 seemed very simplistic and shallow of extra tidbits found in other cozies. But I don't hold that against the author, that's not the main purpose of the story here. 

It was a good story with potential and has a lot open to continue with.



Sunday, December 22, 2024

Stacking the Shelves #43


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!





Bought on Kindle for $1.99

This is the latest book in one of my favorite cozy historical mystery series. I won't get to it for awhile but I am slowly collecting them. It is book 20 of the Lady Eleanor Swift mysteries and they are just adorable. In this one, Eleanor and her bulldog Gladstone are caught up in a blizzard, trapped in a mansion with a killer. Yes, it sounds like it's been done before but these are well written than most cozies and are sharp and funny. I have read more of them than any other cozy series. They get better with each one!






Bought on Kindle for $1.99

I love all things concerned with Dan Jones...his books, his podcast content, interviews. He takes complicated times and historical information and makes it interesting, relevant, and more easily understood for those without lots of background knowledge. I confess I'm a lot more interested in learning about the Crusades than the Templars but as I've gotten to know this time period better I find myself wanting to know exactly who these men were. I am sure Jones will be a good place to start for the facts. 







Bought on Kindle for $1.99

I am SO excited for this purchase. I have already read and reviewed Falls the Shadow, but it is one of Penman's books I didn't have on Kindle. Her books rarely go on sale and are sometimes hard to get at all. So when this came up for this cheap I was overjoyed! I think it is still on sale if you want to get it yourself. At the time of my review I didn't love it. But since then I've learned a lot more about Simon de Montfort and would like to re-read it to see if my opinions have changed any. Glad I have it and can take my time reading it now.




Saturday, December 21, 2024

Elephants Can Remember by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot Book 36) Read Christie Selection December 2024

 

Publication Date:

November 1972

Genre:

Cozy Mysteries

Series:

Hercule Poirot Book 36

Length:

240 pages


Book Description (GoodReads):

Hercule Poirot stood on the cliff-top. For here, many years earlier, there had been a tragic accident – the broken body of a woman was discovered on the rocks at the foot of the cliff. This was followed by the grisly discovery of two more bodies – a husband and wife – shot dead. But who had killed whom? Was it a suicide pact? A crime of passion? Or cold-blooded murder? Poirot delves back into a crime committed 15 years earlier and discovers that, when there is a distinct lack of physical evidence, it’s just as well that ‘old sins leave long shadows.'

This story is part of Agatha Christie’s murder in retrospect series, a collection of stories which look at a crime several years after the fact, piecing together testimonials and witness reports to finally uncover the truth. This time we see Mrs Oliver’s goddaughter, attempting to find out the truth about her deceased parents – who killed whom?

My Thoughts:

I am really enjoying the Christie stories with Mrs. Oliver. She is witty and interesting and I don't remember her in past stories I read years ago. I think she makes a great, light-hearted addition to Poirot's seriousness. Having her as a permanent Watson to his Sherlock would have been great!

This was a good one. I loved the whole back story about the two sisters and trying to decide if the husband and wife thing was a suicide or homicide. I spent time pondering if a couple in the story were related and....would that be crazy and then incest without their knowledge? It was all very intriguing. Not wanting to give away too much by naming the characters I'll just say that it crossed my mind. 

Once again, Christie spends a lot of time on the psychological side of things, Poirot, Oliver, and the main characters talking and wondering how and why things happen. I have grown to enjoy that part of her books, although at times it can get redundant and there could be a little more action. If you are wanting one of her stories where there is a lot of character development and crimes occurring this is not the one for you. We pretty much hear about the crime and that's it as everyone talks to people trying to figure out what happened.

The title is clever....as Mrs. Oliver explains she is needing to consult those "elephants" who remember facts and details from long ago, pulling up contacts she thinks might be able to provide vital information from memory.I am always wondering where Christie gets her ideas from for the titles of her books and find a lot of them to be fun. 

I am closing out my year of Read Christie and would like to post on New Year's Eve all the Christie books I've read so far. Looking forward to Read Christie 2025!







Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Can't Wait Wednesday: Murder at the Christmas Casino by Andrea Hicks (Book 13 of the Camille Devine Murder Mysteries)


 For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,Murder at the Christmas Casino, by Andrea Hicks. It is book 13 but since it's Christmas themed and debuts on Christmas Eve I thought that was fun. I have three books from this series purchased on Kindle and want to try them out soon. Happy reading and Merry Christmas :) I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. 

Historical Cozy Mysteries

December 24, 2024



Book description courtesy of GoodReads

LONDON - CHRISTMAS 1925

Camille and Richard thought they were in for a festive evening out when they were invited to a glamorous Christmas celebration at one of London's most exclusive casinos, The London Ivy Rooms. Invited by the enigmatic Lady Agnes Dunbar whom they had previously met under mysterious circumstances in Cairo, the event promises glittering lights, high-stakes gambling, and a touch of Christmas magic.

But when the holiday cheer takes a dark turn, and a dead body is discovered among the revellers, it becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. Lady Agnes, a government agent with a penchant for secrecy and surprises, reveals that she's been on the trail of a fraudulent betting ring operating within the casino's luxurious walls. Camille, Richard, Cecily, Elsie, and Knolly are drawn into a deadly game of deception and intrigue as the stakes rise.

With suspects lurking behind every corner and the clock ticking down to Christmas Day, the duo must navigate a world of lies, secrets, and danger to uncover the truth. Will they be able to unmask the killer and stop the fraudulent ring before it's too late? Or will this Christmas be their last?

Murder at the Christmas Casino is a thrilling festive mystery filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and the perfect dash of seasonal spirit.








Sunday, December 15, 2024

2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge (Hosted by Marg at The Intrepid Reader and Baker)

 


I am thrilled to be posting this! This will be the fourth time I am participating in this challenge and it is the one that I have kept up with consistently. Probably because I absolutely love historical fiction and as I've discovered this year, even more, historical mysteries (especially cozies). It has been a tough year for my family and this challenge and posts are just part of the way I stay happy and fulfilled with a fun hobby. 

This was the first place I posted as a new blogger too in January of 2022. So here's to a fun filled year of reading, reviewing, and seeing what others are reading. Thanks to Marg at The Intrepid Reader and Baker for always taking this on and the wonderful stats she posts every month. So.much.fun.....

I will be taking the category again of Ancient History where I'm challenged to read at least 25 historical fiction books. This is easy for me! Between my love of these books, the Read Christie challenge, and all the new reads coming out weekly 25 books is no problem. 

Side note: I find it humorous that the Classics Club offically designated the year 1974 as the cutoff now for classics. The book must be written in or before that year. I was born in 1974 and turned 50 this summer.....so I'm now a classic!