Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Read Christie 2023 January Selection)

Publication Date: March 1939

Length:  256 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was the January book for this year's Read Christie 2023 challenge and one I'd never heard of. My immediate reaction upon seeing it was that I loved the cover and the title. Sometimes that alone is enough to make me happy to read something. Silly I know, but since there are whole Instagram pages dedicated to pretty book covers, I know I'm in good company! It is short and I was able to read it within a couple of days and considering I'm a teacher who just went back this week after two lazy weeks off for Christmas, I'm pretty proud of myself to have finished it already.  The challenge is a lot of fun and I'm excited to see the upcoming books with their methods and motives theme this year. As you can see from my rating.....I absolutely loved it.

Elinor Carlisle has been accused of murdering her romantic rival, Mary Gerrard. Upon the death of Elinor's Aunt Laura, she had expected to receive a sizeable fortune and share it with the object of her desire, Roddy Welman. When Roddy becomes infatuated with Mary, Elinor sees her life plan going up in smoke. Wishing her dead, Elinor is nonetheless in shock to find Mary actually deceased from an overdose of what appears to be morphine. The nurse caring for her sickly aunt believes it is the vial she misplaced and as events unfold, Elinor is accused of deliberately lacing sandwiches Mary ate with the lethal dose. Because so many could also have had access to the vial there are many theories as to who could have done it and why, but Elinor seems to be the most likely culprit.

Hercule Poirot is called in to investigate the case by Aunt Laura's physician who is in love with Elinor. He is unsure of her guilt but doesn't care as long as Poirot can find some means of assuring her acquittal. Poirot agrees to consult but only to find out the truth, whether it exonerates Elinor or otherwise. He begins by questioning all involved including Elinor, Roddy, the Nurse, and Peter Lord, the physician. As he continues to uncover the clues to the real murderer, Poirot begins to wonder if one of the players is not actually who they claim to be. And if that may be the motive behind the crime itself. 

This story is the first Christie novel in which there is a reveal through courtroom drama. It had a different feel to it because of that and it reminded me more of today's crime novels. There are three parts to the book: the crime, the interrogation of the suspects by Poirot, and the courtroom testimony. I liked how this was organized as it gave a clear picture of each person's involvement, culminating with an air of excitement "down to the wire" for Elinor's fate. 

Poirot does not come into the book until the middle part and so the first is slow building with character development of the suspects and their thoughts. I liked how we enter Elinor's head quite often and could really sense her bewilderment at what she'd been conspiring with what actually happened. For the reader it created a sense of sympathy for her and made me root for the truth to be exposed. 

This was a really good mystery plot and had an interesting conclusion. There were some medical elements that made it hard to figure out and kept me guessing for sure. I enjoyed it immensely and am now looking forward to February's Christie book.

 

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

For this week's Can't Wait Wednesday I've chosen the new thriller mystery The Cabinet of Dr. Leng by Preston and Child. I have not read their books in a long, long time and I saw that this new one is coming out January 17th. I remember reading several of the novels years ago featuring Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene and thinking they were amazing. So much detail in the setting, characters, and mystery. 

Technically you might not call these history or historical mysteries, but since I am not someone who really enjoys contemporary stories much, you can rest assured there is some history involved in these books. I can't say exactly how without giving away some of the surprises but let's just say they involve enough historical intrigue to make me want to read them. I might have to get this one and jump back into their world!

January 17, 2023

Mysteries/Thrillers

368 pages

Book description courtesy of NetGalley

Preston & Child continue their #1 bestselling series featuring FBI Special Agent Pendergast and Constance Greene, as they cross paths with New York’s deadliest serial killer: Pendergast’s own ancestor…and now his greatest foe.

AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY

Astoundingly, Constance has found a way back to the place of her origins, New York City in the late 1800s, leaping at the chance, although it means leaving the present forever.

A DESPERATE OPPORTUNITY

Constance sets off on a quest to prevent the events that lead to the deaths of her sister and brother. But along the road to redemption, Manhattan’s most infamous serial killer, Dr. Enoch Leng, lies in wait, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

UNIMAGINABLE ODDS

Meanwhile, in contemporary New York, Pendergast feverishly searches for a way to reunite with Constance—but will he discover a way back to her before it’s too late?
 

Happy 1st Blogiversary!

I waited until today to discuss upcoming goals for my blog and for reading because today is the one year anniversary of my blog! It is exciting to think I started with the intention of making it two months and here we are 12 months later. 

I just wanted to share my thoughts on the books I read and I have....but I've gained so much too. A new world of blogging friends, writing skills, reading new kinds of books, and perseverance with something personal and creative. I am so excited to see where year 2 takes me. And thank you to anyone who has read or commented on my posts. It has been a lot of fun interacting with the bookish world. 

This year I'd like to continue my commitment to blog a minimum of twice a week and to participate in the following challenges and weekly discussions:

-Read Christie 2023

-Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2023

-Classics Club

-Can't Wait Wednesday

-Top Ten Tuesday

I also want to branch out with my reading and try new authors, more NetGalley requests (although not too many!) and not worry so much about reading all the sequels in order. And above all else have fun! Here are my current reads for January 2023:

-Sad Cypress by Agatha Christie

- Island of a Thousand Springs by Sarah Lark

- The Fourth Enemy by Anne Perry

-The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

-Voyager by Diana Gabaldon (this will be my third re-read of this book....I always have an Outlander re-read going. I just can't give these books up!)

Happy January reading everyone!

 

Murder in the Snow by Verity Bright (A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery) Book Four

Publication Date: November 16, 2020

Length: 274 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just in time for New Year's Eve and the last day of December 2022 I have completed a full season of these delightful mysteries!  When I discovered they were written with the setting for each season I thought that was pretty neat and am now looking forward to reading four per year during the matching time period until I've eventually caught up with all of them. This story takes place, of course, in winter and was just perfect in that I started reading it Christmas Eve and ended it New Year's Eve, roughly coinciding with the same days as the story itself. It was a great end to a great year of reading!

In this adventure, Eleanor and Clifford are hot on the trail of a murderer who has seemingly killed a local villager who has come to Henley Hall to partake in the Christmas Eve festivities along with those residents of Little Buckford. At the time of his death everyone assumed he had died during the fun run in the snow, seemingly from a heart attack. But as Eleanor and Clifford find clues revealing otherwise they begin to suspect that not only was he murdered, it was in a similar manner as the murder of Eleanor's Uncle, a case which was never fully proven nor solved. Eleanor feels particularly responsible as the crime occurred at her home during her party in which she was trying to show the townspeople how much they mean to her. When two more people are taken ill and have to be hospitalized with the same symptoms as the murder victim, Clifford and Eleanor have to work fast to make sure no one else is targeted. Along with the dashing Detective Seldon and the loyal staff of Henley Hall, they have plenty of willing help in their quest. 

Maybe it was because I was on Christmas vacation and totally relaxed, or maybe it was because I've grown attached to these characters, but I found myself smiling at how much I enjoyed this book as I finished it today. It had everything I love in a cozy mystery: a charming country setting, recurring characters with distinct personalities, a clever, unique murder method impossible to guess at, and two love interests vying for Ellie's affection. It is nice how the author sees fit to occasionally list the suspects and their motives so one doesn't get confused (as I sometimes do in other murder mysteries) and the short chapters make it easy to read even in the busiest of times. It's really the perfect type of story during the craziness that is the holiday season. 

When I reviewed the first book, A Very English Murder, I stated that the book was formulaic and that is true. But as I've continued with the series I've realized each one is very unique and that the author has taken a lot of effort to create a new setting and twists and turns in the story. So that formula works here. There are some cozy mysteries that become tedious in this area and I think it is because the characters and plot don't change a whole lot from book to book. These have just enough differences to make them fresh and enjoyable in their own way. I am already excited to read the next one, Mystery By the Sea, in March on my spring break. 

Now I'm off to celebrate New Year's Eve with my family and ring in 2023! Wishing you a safe and happy evening from Texas.

All That is Hidden (A Molly Murphy Mystery: Book 19) by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

 

Publication Date: March 14, 2023

Length: 320 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Thank you to NetGalley for loaning me this book for review.

This was my first book by Rhys Bowen to have read but I had heard of her before and knew she was very popular. Even though this is a series book I decided to just jump in and read the one being published this spring. I plan to eventually read the latest book in her other series, Royal Spyness. This is the continuing story of Molly Murphy, a housewife and mother who has come a long way from her days as a single gal newly arrived from Ireland. 

Molly is slowly adjusting to her quiet domestic life with her policeman husband, Daniel, and their son and foster daughter. She is retired from her former life of sleuthing and is Molly Sullivan now, living in Greenwich Village in a home she loves, albeit a simple one. When her husband tells her they are moving to a new home in the swanky area of Fifth Avenue with servants and plush surroundings she is bewildered. He also informs her he is running for the office of sheriff and will be closely aligned with Tammany Hall, a shady political organization. Molly eventually discovers it is all a cover for Daniel's real work, investigating corruption within the group.

When Big Bill McCormick, an important associate of Tammany, is murdered during his daughter's birthday party at his own mansion, Molly and Daniel along with their ward Bridie set out to discover why and who is involved. As they get to know the dysfunctional family and their many secrets, the mystery only deepens. Drawing on information obtained by Bridie's new friendship with the daughter, Blanche, and Molly's compassion for Bill's widow, they begin to form a picture of how Big Bill came to be at his desk, stabbed in the back. Strange happenings start to put them in harm's way and Daniel begins to wonder if this undercover scenario has been taken on at unnecessary risk to his family.

The book has a solid mystery that has a lot of twists and turns. I originally guessed at part of the storyline which turned out to be partially true with more added to it and was glad as I hate it when mysteries are too obvious. The author does a good job with an authentic setting and I learned a bit about the politics of the day and Tammany Hall. The behaviors of the servants in Molly's new home as well as the proper behaviors a lady of the manor should adopt were well done and served as an interesting backdrop to the murder plot. 

Maybe I'd have been more invested in Molly and her character if I'd read this series in order. It felt like I was missing a lot of her personal story and didn't have a real connection to her children either. Sometimes the writing was a bit simplistic and redundant but this was minor and didn't take away from the story too much. I'm thinking I want to go back and read the first book, Murphy's Law, to get a clearer picture of Molly's life before she meets her husband, Daniel. That may make me see this story in a new light. Overall I thought it was a fun, cozy mystery and would recommend it positively.