Genre:
Cozy Mystery
Series:
A Royal Spyness Mystery
Length:
306 pages
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
Book reviews featuring history, historical fiction, and mysteries, as well as my thoughts on all things bookish.
Genre:
Cozy Mystery
Series:
A Royal Spyness Mystery
Length:
306 pages
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Penford Manor Murders, by Fiona Veitch Smith. I've read the one set in Egypt but this is the latest in the series. I have books one and two on Kindle and it is yet another series I need to read. There are just too many cozy mysteries out there! In this story Miss Clara Vale investigates blackmail and murder while staying at a friend's country house.
I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!
Cozy Historical Mystery
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
It's open season at Penford Manor - and someone has murder in their sights...
At Penford Manor, the guests are arriving to celebrate the start of the grouse-hunting. Lords and ladies, barons and baronesses, a Member of Parliament - and chemistry graduate turned detective, Miss Clara Vale, an old friend of the family. But Clara is no ordinary lady. She's secretly investigating a blackmail plot against Lady Penford herself.
Someone in the house is already up to no good, but when the body of a local trade unionist is found on the grounds, Clara's case gets even more complicated. A clue left by the body links it to the blackmail note.
Who has discovered Lady Penford's secret? Can Clara and her trusted assistant Bella work together to find the murderer? And what do the cornflowers which keep popping up everywhere mean?
Amidst the glittering dresses and sparkling conversation of society, Clara must find the truth - before the killer acts again!
Publication Date:
Genre:
Mystery
Series: Hercule Poirot Book 11
Length: 279 pages
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!
Purchased on Amazon: 99 cents:
I had never heard of this author or this series. When I bought the book I didn't look at the publication date but on Goodreads it says 1991. And the book is said to be a lot like the Cadfael series. It is part of the Sorrowful Mysteries of Brother Athelstan and is the first book. Set during the 1300's during the time of Richard II. I was intrigued because it is a time I'm trying to learn more about. In this story, Brother Athelstan investigates the murder of a prince just shortly after the death of the Black Prince Edward. I'm excited to have stumbled upon this series! He has published over 100 books set in different time periods.
Purchased on Amazon: 49 Cents with credits:
Ironically, I needed this book for the Read Christie challenge awhile back and couldn't get it anywhere without waiting forever or a steep price. So I bought it on sale this week and can finally read it, though not during the correct challenge month. I know it's the first Miss Marple book which sets the stage for the rest so I'm excited to see what it's like. Short stories aren't my favorite type of book but can be good for when you are in a time crunch and just want to pick up something easy.
Purchased on Amazon: $1.99:
The setting of this book was what drew me in. In 1880 a Scottish detective has been asked to investigate an Admiral's suspicious death in Malta. I love exotic locations and that is one place I know nothing about. From what I can find it looks like this is the author's debut novel published last April. I love supporting new authors and hope this one is good.
Publication Date:
Genre:
Cozy Historical Mystery Short Story
Series: Hercule Poirot
Length: 35 pages
Publication Date: August 31, 2022
Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery
Series: Lady Eleanor Swift
Length: 319 pages
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
The society wedding of the decade has the blushing bride, beautiful flowers… and the groom arrested before he can walk down the aisle? Thank goodness Lady Swift is on the guest list!
Lady Eleanor Swift isn’t normally one for grand social occasions, but who can resist a wedding? Especially when it’s her old friend, Constance Grainger, marrying the most eligible bachelor in town, Lord Peregrine Davencourt. Eleanor is taking Gladstone the bulldog as her plus one, with a smart new bowtie to match her bridesmaid’s dress.
But the big day is ruined when the groom is arrested for murder before he makes it to the altar. In a baffling twist, it turns out he was already engaged to the lovely Daisy Balforth, who has been found dead at the local inn with Lord Davencourt kneeling over her. The gossip pages will have a field day!
The distraught bride-to-be asks Eleanor to clear her fiancĂ©’s name, as she’s certain he wouldn’t hurt a fly. With help from handsome Detective Seldon, Eleanor examines the evidence. But she’s barely had time to write down her suspect list before Constance’s father is set upon by a bearded stranger on the golf course. Clearly there is more to this story than Eleanor first thought, but can she catch the real killer before the wedding turns into her wake?
My Thoughts:
I wasn't really looking forward to this particular book as much as the others in the series because it takes place in England and I love the books that have Eleanor visiting other locations. So I kind of stalled getting on with reading it. I'm glad I finally did though because it turned out to be really cute and also moved Eleanor and Hugh's relationship a little further. I'd probably be a bit lost if I'd skipped it! So I'm pleasantly surprised and had fun reading it.
In this story, Eleanor is preparing to be a bridesmaid in her dear friend Constance's wedding. But before she can walk down the aisle her fiance, Lord Peregrine Davencourt is accused of murdering his former love interest, Daisy. It's a race against time to clear his name, if he is even innocent, and save the wedding. Peregrine insists he's not guilty and Constance believes him. Eleanor sets out with her butler Clifford and Detective Hugh Seldon to try to help.
It didn't sound all that exciting when I started but this book held my interest well. I just need cozies to be authentic to the times, have some red herrings to navigate, and wrap things up neatly. This one did just that and included a cast of characters wtih colorful and shady backgrounds. There was the ladies society also of which Eleanor is a part of promoting women police officers (an interesting topic for the time) and the attempt to throw us off with the backstory of a town decimated by the war. I enjoyed the addition of a little boy, Bertie, who is clearly autistic but since at that time people were less aware of it, is presented as an intense, loveable child who ultimately helps with solving the murders in his own unique way.
The person responsible for the murders and mayhem was hidden well until the end and I enjoyed how they were revealed. It was exciting and throughout the book I kept changing my mind as each new clue was revealed. All in all an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to the next adventure in the series.
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!
Purchased with digital Kindle points: 49 cents:
Purchased with digital Kindle points: 99 cents
I hadn't heard of this author before but the premise of the story looked interesting to me. It involves an old 16th century New Orleans mansion, treasure and ghosts. There is a mystery involving murder and two childhood friends caught up in the events. I probably won't get to it for awhile but it looked like one I'd read eventually.
Purchased with digital Kindle points: Free
I don't know much about Irish history but I'd like to. This book looked like a good place to start and covers the later eras of 1500-2000. There is so much connected with England, France, and Wales (which I know much more about) that I'd like to learn. I also like books that will give me a short timeline first and this is a short history so it won't be overwhelming with details. I'll add it to my TBR pile and we will see when I get to it!
For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Death On the Rhine, by Vivian Conroy. I have read the first two books in the series and while the second wasn't as strong on atmosphere as I'd have liked depicting the area of Santorini, the book was interesting enough to keep along with this series. Such gorgeous covers and exotic locations that make me want to keep reading them. In this book, Atalanta Ashford goes on a luxury river cruise down the Rhine and encounters a murder to solve. I will need to read books 3 and 4 first but this one looks good too.
I hope you have found something you can't wait for! Happy reading ya'll!
Cozy Historical Mystery
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
A luxury cruise
Hidden family secrets
A body on board…
A birthday trip to Bonn sees amateur detective Atalanta Ashford drawn into the scandalous will of a wealthy grandmother during a scenic cruise down along the Rhine.
But growing tensions lead to a sudden and shocking death. Facing suspicion all around, Atalanta must unravel a deadly web of family secrets as treacherous as the river they voyage on, to find the killer.
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!
Borrowed from Library: Free
There are so many of Kathryn Warner's books I need to read. She is a wonderful historian covering mostly the middle ages and areas I need more study in. I first heard about her on my favorite podcasts and unfortunately her books aren't always easy to find on Kindle for a good price here in the states. But you can't go wrong with her, she's so knowledgeable in an entertaining way. This book centers on Edward II and his ill fated relationship with Hugh Despenser. It's such a soap opera/drama filled story I want to know more!
Borrowed from Libby: Free
This is on my March list because it's the Read Christie selection. I'm starting a little late so I hope I finish in time! Hercule Poirot tries to solve the murder of a reverend who dies mysteriously at a dinner party. But this time he can't find a motive or cause of death that suits him. I love Poirot, he's my favorite of the Christie characters so I'm looking forward to this one.
Borrowed from Libby: Free
Publication Date: March 31, 2021
Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery
Series: Jane Wunderly
Length: 304 pages
Book Description (GoodReads):
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!
Purchased with Amazon digital points: Free
I had heard of this author before but wasn't sure how good her books would be. I took a chance on this one and am loving it. Set in England during the reign of Edward III it features a man and woman, Rhys and Catrin who are Welsh and in the employ of the King and Queen. They must work to solve a murder all while dealing with the stigma of being Welsh in an English world. The author is Welsh and clearly knows her history too, making it a great start to what I hope will be an interesting series. She has written others as well.
Purchased on sale on Amazon : $1.99:
This is the first in a series by an author I have reviewed before. She has a great newsletter that I get in my inbox and will send advance copies of her new books if you sign up to review them. The Dora and Rex Mysteries series is very popular and is one I started awhile back. In this new series a regency Lord and Lady must work to solve the mystery of the disappearance of a woman dubbed "the missing diamond of the season" before something bad happens to her.
Purchased on sale on Amazon for Kindle: $1. 99:
I have read the first two books in this series and I love the locations they are set in. I was a little disappointed that the last book didn't have quite the detailed atmosphere I would like in a book but I'm going to give it another try. Miss Atalanta Ashford is always caught up in a new murder mystery and in this book she helps to solve the murder of an Italian heiress's father, along with dashing race car driver Raoul.
Series: Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries
Length: 190 pages
For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,A Recipe For Murder, by Verity Bright. I am finally reading book 11, Death Down the Aisle, which is where I left off a few months ago. This series was my first introduction to cozy mysteries and it remains in my top favorites. This book has Lady Eleanor and her dashing beau Detective Hugh Seldon planning their nuptials when their chef is poisoned. As more murders occur she must work to find the killer before they harm her or anyone else. Even Hugh is in danger and needs her help this time!