Stacking the Shelves #35

 

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 is book one in a five book series on the Plantagenets but starting with Richard II, not Henry and Eleanor. I have book one and it ends with Henry V and Agincourt in book five. This author has a wonderful website, MercedesRochelle.com, which links to her books and to two other sites where she explores medieval history. I plan to surf it this week as the articles are interesting. I'm hoping to learn more through her books as I can't find many that focus on the late 1300's or early 1400's like these do.

On sale for Kindle this week for 99 cents....that's right! For a dollar you can get this one. I was so excited. I have not read her books but am always hearing they are great. She's another I feel I have to devote time to and also there are so many great looking books to choose from I don't know where to start. The covers are just gorgeous and the characters are fascinating historical subjects. If you haven't snagged your copy do it tonight.

Holland is another new to me author that I have been intending to try out because she has written such a wide, eclectic series of books with all kinds of historical subjects and settings. I'm always fascinated with Egypt, tombs, and pyramids. I love cozy mysteries set in the 1920's in Egypt and this is the novel version of the real life team of Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon who discovered King Tut's tomb. It is only $2.99 on Kindle so I bought it. I'm on Chapter 4 and can't put it down. I will definitely continue with her books after this one!

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…