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.