Death Down the Aisle by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 11)

 

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 fiancé’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.

Can't Wait Wednesday: Death On the Rhine by Vivian Conroy (Miss Ashford Investigates Book 5)

 

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

April 4, 2025

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.

Murder at Wedgefield Manor by Erica Ruth Neubauer (Book Two: A Jane Wunderly Mystery)

 

Publication Date:  March 31, 2021

Genre: Cozy Historical Mystery

Series: Jane Wunderly

Length: 304 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

In the wake of World War I, Jane Wunderly- a thoroughly modern young American widow-is traveling abroad, enjoying the hospitality of an English lord and a perfectly proper manor house, until murder makes an unwelcome appearance . . . 

England, 1926: Wedgefield Manor, deep in the tranquil Essex countryside, provides a welcome rest stop for Jane and her matchmaking Aunt Millie before their return to America. While Millie spends time with her long-lost daughter, Lillian, and their host, Lord Hughes, Jane fills the hours devouring mystery novels and taking flying lessons-much to Millie's disapproval. 

But any danger in the air is eclipsed by tragedy on the ground when one of the estate's mechanics, Air Force veteran Simon Marshall, is killed in a motorcar collision. The sliced brake cables prove this was no accident, yet was the intended victim someone other than Simon? The house is full of suspects-visiting relations, secretive servants, strangers prowling the grounds at night-and also full of targets. 

The enigmatic Mr. Redvers, who helped Jane solve a murder in Egypt, arrives on the scene to once more offer his assistance. It seems that everyone at Wedgefield wants Jane to help protect the Hughes family. But while she searches for answers, is she overlooking a killer hiding in plain sight?

My Thoughts:

I have read books one and four in this series and went back to see how book two unfolds. It was good that I did because the relationship between Jane and her love interest, Redvers, really blossoms in this book. The plot wasn't terribly involved and I felt the narration was a little forced in that there weren't enough red herrings and suspects as well as crimes to warrant some of the lengthy musings of Jane. It also didn't take place in an exotic location like the other books, which is the appeal of this series. But I still enjoyed the story.

Lord Hughes, their host at Wedgefield Manor, is suspected of cutting the brakes on his handyman's car, which results in his death.  Jane just doesn't buy it. She smells a rat elsewhere but has a hard time convincing the local inspector. She and her fiance set out to find another alternative, and in the midst of investigating consider his daughter, niece, and the other few guests and staff of the mansion. Most of the book is your typical cozy mystery, them searching for clues, wondering who could be guilty, and in the end wrapping things up neatly. 

I consider this book a transition to the next book three more than an extra exciting sequel. But I wouldn't skip it if you want to continue with this series as I do. It fills in gaps about the characters and I think Neubauer has done a good job making me care about them. I am really looking forward to book three, Danger On the Atlantic, in which Jane and Redvers travel back to her home in America. Then the other books take place in different countries again. It should be a fun time!

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Secret Detective Agency by Helena Dixon (Book One of The Secret Detective Agency)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Secret Detective Agency, by Helena Dixon. I have enjoyed her other long running cozy mystery series with Kitty Underhay as the heroine, set in the 1930's. This book is the start of a brand new series which is something I've been looking for to read and feature on my blog. I always seem to never get to start new with series books.

This one is set in the 1940's during WWII and feature a Miss Jane Treen and her cat (a definite draw!) and code breaker Arthur who use their secret sleuthing skills to find a killer. I am excited because book two is already set to release in April. I am looking forward to being in from the beginning this time! 

I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Historical Mystery

March 27, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Meet Miss Jane Treen – the coffee-drinking cat lover dressed head to toe in tweed, who just happens to be a secret super sleuth!

London, 1941: Miss Jane Treen is at her desk, strong black coffee in hand and fluffy ginger cat by her side, when her top-secret government work is interrupted by an urgent call to Devon. A woman has been found dead in a lake in a place where she shouldn’t have been. Jane needs to gather the clues and find the killer before someone else from the agency gets hurt…

Shy and handsome code-breaker Arthur Cilento is bewildered by the arrival of the efficient Miss Treen and her cat Marmaduke. She bursts into his life unexpectedly, forcing him out of his comfort zone. The reluctant colleagues huddle near the warmth of a crackling fire in Arthur's country home, working to piece together the murderous puzzle at hand.

In the sleepy Devon village, someone is hiding something: but is it the busybody vicar and his sister, the dutiful housekeeper and her secretive son, the stern librarian, or someone else altogether? And who were the people with the woman in the lake on the day she died?

No sooner have Arthur and Jane have drawn up a list of suspects, than a parcel reveals a clue that sends them in hot pursuit of a coded diary stashed in a village church. But as the heavy wooden door slams behind them and a key turns in the lock, one thing is they need to unravel the truth and crack this code before the killer decides their number is up…

But if they can catch the culprit in time, might this unusual pair become the finest crime-solving partnership since Holmes and Watson hung up their hats…?

A Body in the Villa by Isabella Bassett (Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries Book 3)

 

Publication Date: November 16, 2022

Genre: Historical Cozy Mystery

Series: Lady Caroline Murder Mysteries

Length: 190 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

Switzerland, 1925

A rare bird is nesting in the lush summer meadows of the Swiss Alps, and the grizzled members of Uncle Albert’s Royal Society for Natural History Appreciation travel en masse to get a closer look.

The fact that they will be encamped at an opulent villa, coupled with the promise of a midsummer party, persuades his niece, and unenthusiastic secretary, Lady Caroline, to follow suit.

As the champagne flows, and tales of rare birds grow taller, a killer makes a bold move. One of the more risque guests is strangled with her own elaborate dress. When a rakish rogue, a charm-the-birds-out-of-the-trees kind of man, is picked off next, the police speculate that someone is stalking the more exotic specimens of this country house party.

Dismissing this bird-brain idea, Lady Caroline suspects instead that a cunning killer is using the party to feather their nest. Ready as ever for a good scavenger hunt, she follows the clues to the bad egg spoiling all the fun.

My Thoughts:

This is book three in the series. I have read books one, two and five already. I know I'm strange the way I skip around and I'm honestly trying not to do that anymore but it's hard. Sometimes a series book down the line looks good and I just don't want to wait! But it creates spoilers and unanswered questions too. So that bugs me. I can't win, lol.

Lady Caroline and her Uncle Albert have come to the Swiss Alps and the Royal Society for Natural History Appreciation, to search for a special bird. She is his secretary, unusual for the time as the others are male, but determined to do her job well while also looking out for her elderly beloved Uncle. While staying at a beautiful villa, Caroline becomes involved in three deaths, all of which seem unrelated until she starts to dig into the past of the victims. 

The story centers around the local hippie commune which seems to house a strange, eclectic group of people who all have their own secrets. Caroline is sure some of the answers to the deaths lie within but she also is suspicious of one of the members of the royal society. Along with her wacky friend, Poppy, who arrives and offers to help, they investigate and have some shenanigans along the way. 

I enjoyed the book but not as much as the one set in Cairo. I love how Bassett picks exotic locations and the commune made the story even more interesting. I wish Caroline and James, her love interest had had more interaction but overall the story was cute and I'm happy to move on to the next one in the series soon. 

Can't Wait Wednesday: A Recipe For Murder by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery Book 21)

 

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!

Cozy Historical Mystery

March 31, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Cream cakes, cucumber sandwiches, apple tarts and… poison? Lady Swift is trying to plan the menu for her wedding, until murder strikes in kitchens across the village!

Lady Eleanor Swift’s marriage to dashing Chief Inspector Hugh Seldon is just days away. There’s a lot to organise from the dress to the catering, including, of course, the all-important wedding cake.

But Eleanor is heartbroken when their chef, apple-cheeked Annie Tibetts, dies of poisoning. And as the doctor confirms her death wasn’t an accident, accusations fly around the whole community.

With more of the village struck down by the poison, Eleanor must unmask a killer who seems intent on spreading chaos amongst her nearest and dearest. Everyone is accusing their neighbour… and Eleanor is in a pickle as the seating plans for the wedding fall apart. But she soon has bigger fish to fry when the source of the poison is traced to a trusted establishment in town. Eleanor is certain they are being framed and that sabotage is afoot…

And when a sample of poisoned wedding cake is delivered anonymously to Hugh working at his station miles away in Oxford, Eleanor realises that while she has been planning for the future, her past has been catching up with her. Eleanor must race across the countryside to save her love from certain death. Can Eleanor find the proof in the pudding and save Hugh in time? And will the poisoner finally get their just desserts?

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: Homicide in the Indian Hills by Erica Ruth Neubauer (A Jane Wunderly Mystery Book 6)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, Homicide in the Indian HIlls, by Erica Ruth Neubauer. I've read books one and three in this series and they were fun. I like the series mysteries that take place in unique, exotic places and hers generally do. 

The books feature heroine sleuth, Jane Wunderly, and her mysterious love interest, called Redvers.  I have started with book two this week. The only reason I skipped it was that it takes place in England and I really wanted to read the others taking place in other countries. Hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Historical Mystery

March 25, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Intrepid American newlywed Jane Wunderly learns that tigers aren’t the only dangers lurking in 1920s India, when a murder in a popular resort town threatens to destabilize the local government and undermine the resistance movement for Indian self-rule . . .

Ooty, 1927: Accompanying Mr. Redvers on an assignment to Ootycamund to quell revolutionary rumblings, Jane finds there’s more than meets the eye to India’s Queen of Hill Stations. Ooty’s lush tea plantations and tranquil gardens barely conceal its secrets--scandalous affairs, political sabotage, and a mounting anti-colonial movement. Even Redvers intends to subvert his official mission in Ooty, by arranging a series of clandestine meetings with local resistance leaders. But it’s not until the shocking death of a British national that Jane and Redvers are truly drawn into Ooty’s deepest shadows.

Jane’s suspicions that the death is more than a tragic accident are soon confirmed, but word of a murder could stoke Ooty’s simmering tensions into a full boil. Navigating corrupt local officials, festering personal vendettas, and a complicated network of bureaucratic entanglements that lead to the top tiers of government, Jane and Redvers edge closer to the truth…and its deadly consequences. Someone is willing to spill blood to protect their interests, will Jane become just another of Ooty’s darkest secrets?
 

Mrs. McGinty's Dead by Agatha Christie (Hercule Poirot Book 32)

 

Publication Date: February 1952

Genre: Classic Mysteries/Cozy Mysteries

Series: Hercule Poirot Mysteries 

Length: 243 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

In Mrs. McGinty’s Dead, one of Agatha Christie’s most ingenious mysteries, the intrepid Hercule Poirot must look into the case of a brutally murdered landlady.

Mrs. McGinty died from a brutal blow to the back of her head. Suspicion falls immediately on her shifty lodger, James Bentley, whose clothes reveal traces of the victim’s blood and hair. Yet something is amiss: Bentley just doesn’t seem like a murderer.

Could the answer lie in an article clipped from a newspaper two days before the death? With a desperate killer still free, Hercule Poirot will have to stay alive long enough to find out. . . .

My Thoughts:

My favorite Christie books feature Poirot and Ariadne Oliver. So this one looked like a winner. I unfortunately could not access the current Read Christie book, So this was a suggested alternate choice.

I thought there were a lot of characters to keep up with and off shoot storylines. I had to think hard to keep them all straight. Basically the story centers around the death of an elderly landlady, Mrs. McGinty and her convicted murderer, James Bentley. The local superintendent is not so sure he did it as there was the feeling of it being staged. Poirot is called in to investigate and as usual, can spot holes in the case right away. With his foreign flair and investigative skills he soon uncovers a much deeper answer....it involves the past of a local woman and her child and he has to interview multiple townspeople and sift through their personal drama to get to the bottom of things. 

At least one of the characters had me convinced they were the murderer for a good part of the book. They way she was portrayed had me strung along. There is no way I'd have guessed the ending as it really was cleverly disguised behind one small clue that most of us would overlook. Of course Poirot doesn't! Mrs. McGinty was a bit of a sleuth herself which ultimately puts her in the spotlight of danger and Poirot has to figure out who would use the information she obtained to silence her. But he's convinced from the beginning it isn't Bentley.

One character, Maude Williams, who once worked with Bentley doesn't believe he is capable of murder and offers to help with the case. A possible weapon is found in a local home, further giving rise to Poirot's suspicions, and a mysterious photo leads him to believe some people are not who they claim to be. 

I thought this was a decent attempt for Christie but it was pretty complicated at times. I found my mind wandering as I tried to keep up with everything. The ending was satisfying and unique though and didn't reveal itself until the last moment. 

I'm looking forward to March and the next Read Christie selection!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Silent As the Grave by Rhys Bowen (A Molly Murphy Mystery Book 21)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring,Silent As the Grave, by Rhys Bowen. I have only read the first book in the Molly Murphys series but I know they are very popular with mystery lovers. This is book 21 and Molly is sleuthing now as a wife and mother. She gets to go on set to watch a movie being filmed where the special effects turn deadly. Bowen does a good job with historical detail and her fans will be excited to see a new book continuing Molly's story. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week. Happy reading ya'll!

Cozy Mystery

March 11, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

With a newborn and two children, Molly Murphy Sullivan is tackling motherhood. Her husband, Daniel, is off to work in Washington as Easter break begins in New York. Her dear friend and writer, Ryan O’Hara, is shooting a movie, one of the first to involve a real plot and actors. He invites Molly and the children to visit the set and watch the excitement. When one of the actresses is fired, Molly’s adopted daughter, Bridie, is called to replace her in the scene. Turns out she’s a natural and is asked to star in the rest of the film. Molly is skeptical about leaving Bridie alone on set, but her great friends, Sid and Gus, offer to chaperone her.

The movie industry is still experimenting with ways to get the best shot, like pretending to tie Bridie to real train tracks. But soon, their special effects start to malfunction. After a few mishaps where no one is hurt, the special effects turn deadly. With rumors of a feud between studios, Molly believes these malfunctions are sabotage. She is invited to go undercover on set to investigate the burgeoning film war. Once again, Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles deliver an engaging mystery full of vibrant historical details and thrilling escapades featuring one of mystery's most beloved sleuths.

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Case of the Christie Conspiracy by Kelly Oliver (A Detection Club Mystery)

 

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, I'm featuring, The Case of the Christie Conspiracy, by Kelly Oliver. I have really enjoyed her Fiona Figg series which are light hearted but well written cozy mysteries set during WWI. She has decided to take a whole new direction with this series by making Agatha Christie the suspect in the story. I'm not sure how it will turn out but it sure is an interesting premise. I hope you've found something you can't wait to read this week! Happy Reading ya'll!

Cozy Mystery

February 16, 2025

Book Description courtesy of GoodReads:

Agatha Christie is about to embark on a new, gripping murder case. But this time, she’s not the author – she’s a suspect…

1926 – Christie is a darling of the literary circuit and the most desired guest in London’s glittering social scene. She can often be found at meetings of the Detection Club – where mystery writers come together to share ideas, swap secrets and drink copiously. But then a fellow author's initiation ceremony takes a gruesome turn, and one of the group ends up dead. Now, Agatha is no longer just the creator of great mystery plots – she’s a player in one.

And when Agatha disappears the day after the murder, she’s widely assumed to be guilty. Only Eliza Baker, assistant to the Club’s enigmatic secretary, Dorothy Sayers, is interested in investigating the case. But in a world where murder is the ultimate plot device, can Eliza piece together the evidence and find the killer before it’s too late?

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie (A Hercule Poirot Mystery, Book 24) Read Christie January 2025 Selection

Publication Date: 

May 1942

Genre:

Classic Mysteries/Cozy Mysteries

Series:

Hercule Poirot Mysteries 

Length:

234 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

It was an open and shut case. All the evidence said Caroline Crale poisoned her philandering husband, a brilliant painter. She was quickly and easily convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Now, sixteen years later, in a posthumous letter, Mrs. Crale has assured her grown daughter that she was innocent. But instead of setting the young woman's mind at ease, the letter only raises disquieting questions. Did Caroline indeed write the truth? And if she didn't kill her husband, who did?

To find out, the Crale’s daughter asks Hercule Poirot to reopen the case. His investigation takes him deep into the conflicting memories and motivations of the five other people who were with the Crales on the fatal day. With his keen understanding of human psychology, he manages to discover the surprising truth behind the artist's death.

My Thoughts:

The title of the book was clever. Poirot labels each suspect as one of the pigs from the nursery rhyme and we see the reasons unfold as each one tells his or her account of what they heard and saw about the murder as well as their thoughts and impressions of the others. 

There are Phillip and Meredith Blake (brothers), Angela (Mrs. Crale's half sister), Angela's governess Cecilia Williams, and model Elsa Greer who is carrying on with the victim prior to his death. Elsa is only a young girl of around twenty who is carefree and unbothered that she is breaking up a marriage. Most of the people involved either love or hate her and some feel she is a manipulator and well aware of what she is doing. Some are unsympathetic to Caroline and feel she deserved what she got....going to prison for killing her husband. 

Caroline's daughter, Carla is not so sure and wants Poirot to find out the truth. He does so in his customary way of interview and reel them in. He spends a lot of time listening to the five people tell their stories and trying to decipher the mental motives behind it all. The truth of course isn't what is seems at first and it will take him patience and time to get to the bottom of things. 

This book was honestly disappointing for me. I found it to be long and tedious. There just wasn't much to the plot. Jealous wife. Daughter determined to clear her mother's name. Saucy young girl with fantasies in her head of the future with a married man who will love her only. It's been done so many times. I absolutely love Poirot, always do. But this story just fell flat and the ending was not that climactic to me. I think as always Christie is a master of human psychology and sets up her characters and their many personal flaws superbly. She really excels with knowing how people operate. I just thought the mystery and crime were pretty substandard and the resolution not all that exciting or jaw dropping. I guess I'm used to a little more "twistiness" in her stories now! 

While I don't recommend skipping this one altogether, it is not one I'd put on my radar if you have a limited time to read Christie books. It felt like she was kind of going through the motions with it. But I got it read and reviewed in January and that was my goal!

Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley (A Below Stairs Mystery Book One)

 

Publication Date:

January 2, 2018

Genre:

Cozy Historical Mystery

Series:

A Below Stairs Mystery Book One

Length: 

336 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.

Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.

Intent on discovering who killed the helpless kitchen maid, Kat turns to the ever-capable Daniel McAdam, who is certainly much more than the charming delivery man he pretends to be. Along with the assistance of Lord Rankin’s unconventional sister-in-law and a mathematical genius, Kat and Daniel discover that the household murder was the barest tip of a plot rife with danger and treason—one that’s a threat to Queen Victoria herself.

My Thoughts:

Through the story I learned a little more about the Irish/English conflict that has been going on for a very long time. The major plot of the novel centers around the Irish girl, Sinead, who is the victim and how her personal life might relate to an attempt on the Queen's life. We get to know a bit about the group "the Fenians" who are anarchists bent on bringing down British government if they can. Kat and Daniel are slowly drawn into this orbit unwillingly as they try to uncover who killed Sinead. 

The author also adds the fun "extra" of weaving recipes and cooking norms for the time throughout the story. I don't cook much but marvel at those who do. And especially a hundred or more years ago in a huge manor house. Kat is always creating delicious dishes despite the lack of resources or time and anxiety over the murder. It's a wonder!

Villainy in Vienna by Kelly Oliver (A Fiona Figg Mystery Book 3)

 

Publication Date:

January 20, 2022

Genre:

Cozy Historical Mystery

Series:

Fiona Figg Mystery Book 3

Length: 

260 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

1917 Vienna.

File clerk turned British agent Fiona Figg is more comfortable wearing a fake mustache than a ballgown.
When a royal ball ends with a royal body in the middle of the dancefloor, Fiona trades her dancing slippers for practical oxfords and sets out to investigate.
As she tracks her nemesis, the Black Panther, from Vienna to the Austrian countryside, a hunting accident makes her rethink her loyalties.
Can Fiona prevent the Black Panther from striking again, save her own skin, and find a decent cup of tea, all before the enemy's emperor realizes she's a spy?

My Thoughts:

Having read these books in order (a feat for me!) book 3 was a lot of fun now knowing the characters better. While there wasn't a ton of murders or super intricate details going on to solve in this one, the political intrigue combined with the quirky personas involved made it a good book. Once again, Fiona is hot on the trail of her nemesis, notorious spy Fredrick Fredricks. He is always one step ahead of her though and continues to get in her head and see through her disguises. While Fiona is not the least bit interested in him romantically and only has eyes for fellow British spy Archie, she admits Fredricks is handsome and charming in his own way.

She is in Vienna to keep an eye on him and other players on the British side, and report any suspicious behavior to the British war office back home. When the story begins she attends a royal ball where a death occurs, setting things in motion. She befriends an eccentric woman, helps find the culprit in the kidnapping of the lady's dog, and eventually, has to outsmart some of the shady male diplomats around her while trying not to draw too much attention to herself. We meet the real Emperor and Empress of Austria which I found to be a wonderful side story.

I think that is what has kept me coming back to this series. The author does a good job of weaving in real historical characters and World War I information while keeping things light and humorous. I learned a bit about the war again, Vienna's royal society during the time, and was reminded that Fredrick Fredricks was indeed a real person. The next set of books in this series take on a second main character, Kitty, and I will pick up with it soon. They are a good break from serious books.

The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall by Benedict Brown (Lord Edgington Investigates Book Four)

 

Publication Date:

November 11, 2021

Genre:

Cozy Mystery 

Series:

Lord Edgington Investigates Book 4

Length:

243 pages

Book Description (GoodReads):

England, 1925. When Lord Edgington receives an invitation to spend the Christmas holiday with an old colleague from the police, he expects fine food, good conversation and the warmth of a roaring fire. But on arriving at Mistletoe Hall with his family, they discover the house deserted and no explanation for where their host or his servants could be. As more guests appear, the master detective begins to question what could connect the disparate group of newcomers. A teacher, a comedian, a thief, a sportsman, a singer, a policeman and a racing driver will all have their roles to play when a killer crashes the party. Cut off from the outside world by the worsening weather, and with bodies piling up, Lord Edgington must rely on his wits, his years of experience, and the help of his bumbling grandson Christopher in order to solve "The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall" .

With hints of “And Then There Were None” and “The Sittaford Mystery”, the fourth "Lord Edgington Investigates…" novel is a spoiler-free, standalone whodunit with a wicked resolution all of its own. Filled with warmth, humour, a fiendishly twisting plot, an adorable canine sidekick and plenty of Yuletide spirit, “The Mystery of Mistletoe Hall” is an Agatha-Christie-style Christmas cracker that will baffle and charm you in equal measure.

My Thoughts:

This book was a stand alone in the series and I haven't finished book one yet. So I was glad I could read this at Christmas and enjoy it without series spoilers. The covers are so pretty and are what made me stop and notice. Then having a male detective made me want to try it more because as I've said there are so few cozies with them. It's almost always women so changing it up is fun. 

Lord Edgington is a great character. He and his grandson Christopher are always stumbling upon a crime or body and working together to solve the case. In this story I especially loved the author's descriptions of the mansion they visit, the snow, the sleigh they take to ride to the front, and then combining that with the creepiness of the woods and the sense of doom. As murders occur and everyone feels unsafe and uneasy, they must try to stay calm and find out what is happening and why.

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.