The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber (A Verity Kent Mystery Book 7)

 

Publication Date: 

September 24, 2024

Length:

402 pages

Summary:

Verity Kent and her husband Sydney are in Dublin working with the Secret Service on several investigations. Verity's friend Alec is missing having gone dark on his latest mission, they are trying to locate poisonous gas containers held by an arch enemy, Lord Ardmore, and then an official wants them to find out who assaulted their daughter. There is tension between husband and wife due to their having been apart for various reasons past and Verity's seemingly romantic entanglement with the man, Alec they are searching for. As the story unfolds the couple has to put aside their resentments and doubts to work together. It is obvious they love one another deeply but have somewhat separate lives as well, making it hard to be of one mind sometimes. 

Noteworthy News #5: Royals, Rebels, and Romantics: From Wars of the Roses to Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie

Yesterday I was tuning into Apple podcasts and a new one appeared that I hadn't seen before.  It is called Royals, Rebels, and Romantics. It is all British history hosted by a historian from America named Carol Ann Lloyd. She travels the world speaking on a range of British history topics and is especially knowledgeable about royalty and Shakespeare. 

So far scrolling past episodes (going back to 2020) it seems like she has a huge bank of topics that also include Jane Austen as well as walk throughs of castles, cathedrals, and discussing plays and playwrights. All of which she relates to British history and often royal Brits. 

Some of the topics are things I know a lot about like the causes of the Wars of the Roses so I might not listen in order. But others look really unique. For example, one is titled, "Murder, Mystery, and Jane Austen" and she focuses on Austen's novels and how she might interact with Agatha Christie in a novel. This would be the "romantic" part of the podcast, not focusing on royalty.

There are so many to choose from and each is about 20-40 minutes so easily listened to in the car. I have said before this is why I love these podcasts because it's not an entire audiobook but you still come away learning a lot and being greatly entertained. This particular host also has a blog and such an interesting background with research so she really knows her stuff. 

Her blog is carolannlloyd.com if you are interested and want to check it out. 

Intrigue in Istanbul by Erica Ruth Neubauer (A Jane Wunderley Mystery Book 4)

 

Publication Date: 

March 28, 2023

Length:

288 pages

Summary:

This is book 4 in the series. I've read book one and thought the location of this one was fun. The cover and title caught my eye as well. Reading series books out of order has become something I've been doing lately but I'd like to try to go back to the beginning of many of them. It is hard to understand some of the backstory in this one without having read the others. 

After spending some wonderful time abroad in England, American Jane Wunderley is excited to be bringing home her English fiance, Mr. Redvers, to meet her father. Unfortunately, when they arrive in Boston her father is not at home. It seems he has left on an adventure overseas to find the long lost heart of Sultan Sulelman the Magnificent. It is said to have spiritual powers and worth a fortune. Jane is concerned that her father seems to have left no details as to who he is with and his exact location. Also, he hasn't taken his luggage and her Aunt Millie is worried that something more suspicious has taken place. When Jane discovers that her father is in financial trouble and in danger of losing her childhood home as well, the couple decides they must travel to Istanbul, Turkey to see if they can locate the Professor and get to the bottom of things. Their journey will take them from Turkey to Hungary and involve murder and shady characters all of whom seem to be suspects. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Corpse in Christmas Close by Michelle Salter (The Iris Woodmore Mysteries Book Five)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, A Corpse in Christmas Close by Michelle Salter. It is book five of the Iris Woodmore mysteries and is set in 1923. Iris is a reporter sent to Winchester to cover a visit from the Prince of Wales and instead finds herself caught up in a murder investigation. 

I have not read any from this series yet but this latest book is due out this Saturday and looks like a fun Christmas read. I guess the horrible heat here at home has me in the mood for a winter holiday book. I can't read every cozy in every series but most of them work well for a stand alone read. I think this one might need to go on my list for later this fall. Happy reading and I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week!

August 24, 2024

Cozy Mysteries/Historical Mysteries

When a pantomime turns deadly, Iris investigates a cast of killers…

Christmas, 1923. When reporter Iris Woodmore is sent to cover the Prince of Wales’ visit to historic Winchester, she discovers more than just royal gossip.

The leading lady in Winchester Cathedral’s charity pantomime is found dead in mysterious circumstances. And the chief suspect is Cinderella’s handsome prince, played by Percy Baverstock’s younger brother, Freddie.

For the sake of the Baverstocks, Iris must investigate the murder, even though it means confronting an old enemy. And as the line between friend and foe blurs dangerously, she’s ensnared by someone she hoped she’d never see again…

Stacking the Shelves #34

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!

This book caught my eye for two reasons: It is first in a series and has a foreword endorsement written by one of my favorite authors, Sharon Kay Penman. Set in 1270 during the reign of Henry III, it involves the murder of a monk and reminds me a bit of the Cadfael Chronicles. It is free to read in Kindle Unlimited and with my credits I was able to buy it for $0. Hopefully it is a good series!

This author has been featured on my favorite history podcast, Gone Medieval, several times. He is very knowledgeable about the time periods he covers and his latest book, Son of Prophecy, is about Henry VII and his origins in Wales, specifically how his Wales heritage is often minimized or overlooked altogether. Amin delves into how Henry and his family became the hoped for savior of the Welsh people and the son of prophecy foretold to rule England, Wales, and beyond. I like the idea of focusing on his Welsh background for a change. It is so hard to get these books on Kindle here in the U.S. so I confess I only have the sample right now. I hope to buy or borrow it somehow soon!

This mystery looked so different and interesting and it is written by a famous author of her time, Pearl S. Buck. I'd not read her other books and wasn't aware she wrote mysteries. This book was written in 1965. Aristocrats Sir Richard and Lady Mary are broke and need to sell their 1,000 year old castle. A man wants to buy it and transport it to America and there is also possible hidden treasure under it. The synopsis also mentions spirits haunting the castle and a cast of colorful, neurotic characters. It has that Agatha Christie vibe and I think it seems very unique. 

A House Divided by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella (The Russians Book Two)

 

Publication Date: 

January 1, 1968

Length:

304 pages

Summary:

This is book two of a seven part series called The Russians, written by the Christian husband and wife team of Michael Phillips and Judith Pella. I have read their Stonewycke books which are excellent and I had read book one of this collection years ago. I decided to read book two because it has been in my Kindle for awhile and I wanted to see how the story progressed. It was something different from my cozy mystery kick I've been on. 

When the story opens it picks up where book one left off, the main character, Anna Burenin is ladies maid to Princess Katrina Fedorcenko and has developed a relationship with Katrina's brother, Sergei who has been away fighting in the Russo-Turkish War along with his friend Dimitri, Katrina's love interest. Their stories converge as the war ends, soldiers return and the Russian Revolution's seeds begin to develop into a full blown crisis. 

Anna's brother Paul has his own set of troubles. Away at University in Pskov, he experienced a traumatic event involving a student who was bullied and ultimately driven to suicide. Through a series of events that spiral he becomes involved with radical revolutionaries who pose as friends, seeming to take him under their wing, all while convincing him that overthrowing the government and killing the Tsar is the only way to true freedom for the Russian people. Paul travels to St. Petersburg to be a part of the underground group plotting mayhem and violence, calling themselves, The Will of the People.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Royal Rebel by Elizabeth Chadwick (Jeanette of Kent Book 1)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Royal Rebel by Elizabeth Chadwick. This is book one of two that will tell the story of Jeanette of Kent, cousin to King Edward III.  I love that Chadwick takes lesser known women of the Medieval era and spotlights them in historical fiction. I also find that the 1300's seems to have less literature dedicated to it. It's a nice change from the Wars of the Roses and the Tudors. Hope you have found something you can't wait to read this week!

September 5, 2024

Historical Fiction/Medieval Fiction

Description courtesy of Amazon

1338: England has declared war on France, and Jeanette of Kent, cousin to King Edward III, says goodbye to her family and travels overseas with the royal court for the first time. Once in Antwerp, she is captivated by talented household knight Thomas Holland, just as he in turn is powerfully drawn to her.

Although both know their romance is forbidden, their love for each other grows stronger than the danger they face, and they marry in secret. But before they can make their tryst known, Thomas has to leave for war, and in his absence, Jeanette is forced into a second marriage and locked away from the world.

Then Thomas returns, and the real fight begins. As hostile family members battle to keep Jeanette and Thomas apart, the defiant lovers vow to be reunited - whatever the cost...

Top Ten Tuesday: Books Whose Plots Involve Travel

 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl features books that involve travel. This took some thinking to come up with ten. I tend to over think and so my running inner monologue went something like this..."how far is the traveling? Is it to another time and place? Another country? Down the block?" 

I decided it had to be at least characters traveling through time or to another country, across the ocean, etc. So that was my criteria. It will be fun to see others' lists and compare! Also, you could choose to focus on covers with planes, trains, and automobiles. That will be interesting as well. I'm not the best at adding just covers to my blog yet (not user friendly with this particular format) so I'm just going to make a list. If I reviewed it on my blog I have included the link. Happy Reading ya'll! :) 

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon- Because of course this one is my favorite with time travel throughout the whole series. 

2. The Seekers by John Jakes- This was a favorite of mine from Jakes' series about America. It includes the time of the Oregon Trail and the pioneers. That is traveling I love to read about. I probably need to re-read and review this wonderful book.

3. Into Africa by Martin Dugard- The amazing story of Stanley and LIvingstone's journey into the continent that fascinated the world. I absolutely loved this historical account of their journey. 

4. Crocodile On the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters- The first in the series and my favorite still. The journey down the Nile is so well written you feel like you are there. As usual, the original is the best!

5. Lionheart by Ben Kane- A great account of Richard I's journey on Crusade. It's part of a trilogy and well worth picking up.

6. Secret of the Scarab by Isabella Bassett- One of my favorite cozy mystery series of the year. The heroine and her eccentric Uncle are adorable and their journey to Egypt to uncover artifacts sees them caught up in of course, what else, but murder and mayhem. A fun read.

7. Murder On the Orient Express by Agatha Christie- This one has to be included on a list like this. Especially since it is train related. Not necessarily my favorite Christie book but a definite classic everyone should read.

8. Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick- A fabulous accounting of the Pilgrims' journey to America. It read more like a novel than a history book and that is the style I love best.

9. Leaving Ireland by Ann Moore- I really feel like this author has been overlooked. This is probably because she hasn't written a lot of books but her trilogy about a young girl, Gracelin O'Malley and her life during the 1840's potato famine in Ireland is well written historical fiction. This is the third book which I have yet to finish. 

10. Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brien- This is another classic book that I haven't read but plan to. I love sea voyage themed novels. Everyone says it is a good one. And the movie was excellent. 

Stacking the Shelves #33

 

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!

Set in India in 1947, Britain is about to withdraw from the country and people are fearful of the coming challenges after this happens. A family that is staying to try and build a life there get involved in a past mystery between two Englishwomen living there in 1857. Through letters the story unfolds and secrets are revealed. The description for the book states that the time and era are well researched and the feeling of Bombay at the time is "lavish with detail and imagery." Sounds like a unique and interesting story. I have so many Kindle credits from all the shopping I've been doing I got it for only $5.

I had no idea that Gwen Bristow had written Golden Age Mysteries. I loved her Plantation Trilogy and had to look this information up to make sure it was the same Gwen Bristow. In this story a piece of the famous Gutenberg Bible has been stolen and a district attorney must find out the who and the why behind it. Murders start to occur related to the case and the stakes are raised. Set in New Orleans in the 1930's it is a great location for a crime mystery. I look forward to reading it and seeing how she handles a different genre. I see there is a co-writer too so that should add to her style and make it a bit different. She has written more like this one as well. I will be reading it on Hoopla.

This book is a two part series about Edith, Princess of Scotland, and Eleanor of Castile. This first book about Edith is set in 1093 in Scotland and England and covers her life as she goes from child to queen. It might be a little more of a romance but it was on sale and is about a subject that is rarely covered in historical fiction novels. I think her story is very interesting and I look forward to reading it. The second book about Eleanor of Castile is one I'd like to get as well. The author is new to me but she has written many series of books on forgotten women of history. This two book series is called Ladies of Valor. 

Noteworthy News #4: 850th Anniversary of Thomas Becket and Henry II's Fued

 

I have always been fascinated with the story of King Henry II and Thomas Becket ever since reading about it a few years ago and it is still relevant even today as to how relationships can go from cordial to nasty in no time with people. It just reminds me how we are in some ways not that different from those from other eras even thought they seem to live in an alien time from us.

I wanted to share this week that my favorite history podcast, Gone Medieval has been featuring a series marking the 850th anniversary of King Henry II's penance for the murder of Thomas Becket. The author and host Matt Lewis and Dr. Eleanor Janega break down the back story (which I never tire of) and the fallout between the two men. Then they describe the guilt and self punishment that Henry inflicts on himself for his role in the death of his former friend and confidante. It's a fascinating story and they do a fabulous job of narrating it with historical detail and original sources. 

One of the other things I appreciate is that they try to remain neutral and present both sides of the issues so that you can judge whether or not you agree with the men and their two sides of the dispute. It makes for more thoughtful listening and I found myself seeing their points of view more clearly. 

Here are the episodes in case you are interested. I have been listening on my way to school and as each one is only about 45 minutes it is doable even if you are short on time. They always have some new interesting fact I wasn't aware of so it makes it new for me. Hope you have something noteworthy you've come across this week in history or another subject you love!

Episode 330: The Rise of Thomas Becket

Episode 333: Henry II and Thomas Becket: A Doomed Friendship

Episode 334: The Murder of Thomas Becket

Episode 337: The Cult of Becket

Can't Wait Wednesday: Death By Misadventure: A Lady Emily Mystery (Book 18) by Tasha Alexander

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Death By Misadventure by Tasha Alexander. I have read the first book in this series and hope to read more. I love the locations she chooses and the covers are gorgeous. Hope you found something you can't wait to read this week!

September 24, 2024

Historical Mysteries

Description courtesy of Amazon

In the winter of 1906, Lady Emily and husband Colin are invited to the opulent home of Baroness Ursula von Duchtel in the Bavarian alps. Outside is a mountainous winter wonderland with a view of Mad King Ludwig’s fairy tale castle. Inside, the villa hosts a magnificent but eclectic art collection—as well as an equally eclectic collection of fellow guests, among them a musician, an art dealer, a coquette from the demi-monde, and Kaspar, the Baroness’ boorish son-in-law, whom, it begins to appear, someone wants dead.

Almost forty years earlier, Niels, a young German lord, sings to himself in the forest surrounding those same alps, capturing the attention of a not-yet-mad King Ludwig. Niels and the king become fast friends, their relationship deepening into something more as their time together stretches on. But while King Ludwig is content to live out a fantasy where their responsibilities don't matter and the outside world doesn't affect them, Niels knows that their bliss cannot last forever...

Decades later, Emily continues to investigate Kaspar's increasingly lethal “mishaps" when tragedy strikes, ensnaring the guests in a web of fear and suspicion. It’s up to Emily to sift through old secrets and motivations, some stretching far into the past, to unmask the killer.

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Favorite Books From Ten Favorite Book Series

 

This week's Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl features favorite books from favorite book series. I love, love, love to read series books! I despair that I will never be able to read them all so I try to be picky about which ones I carry on with. But I'm a sucker for them. So this was a fun topic for me this week.  I noted my favorite book of the series in parentheses. I'm short on time (first day of school tomorrow!) so no links but at least I was able to share my list with you! What series books are your favorites?

1. William Monk by Anne Perry (The Face of a Stranger)

2. Charlotte and Thomas Pitt by Anne Perry (Buckingham Palace Gardens)

3. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (Voyager)

4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)

5. The Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes (The Rebels)

6. Cadfael Chronicles by Ellis Peters (One Corpse Too Many)

7. Lady Eleanor Swift by Verity Bright (Mystery By the Sea)

8. Plantation Trilogy by Gwen Bristow (Deep Summer)

9. Inspector De Silva Mysteries by Harriet Steel (Trouble in Nuala)

10. The Medieval Saga Series by David Field (The Conscience of a King)