I've had this book in my TBR pile since August, 2013, getting it when it was free or cheap for my kindle. I don't know why I didn't read it earlier, perhaps because the cover just didn't grab me when I was looking for something to read.
This was the first in a series, with some of the problems the first book usually has. It seemed to move a little slowly for my taste, with a lot of detail about Sally's everyday life and what she did. I really don't need to know so much about her day. But, aside from that, the book seemed to be pretty good.
Sally is invited over to an elderly neighbor's home, and when she gets there, the neighbor is dead. Amelia Marsh has died from a blow to her head, and Sally discovers that no one really knows very much about the elderly widow. While trying to find out more about Amelia, Sally is drawn into a search for her killer.
I would have to say this was a little better than an "okay" book, and maybe the later books in the series will be better. I don't think I'm going to make any effort to find out.
This is part of my Mount TBR reading challenge, the 9th out of 48 books I've committed to reading.
Friday, May 29, 2015
The Bloodied Ivy by Robert Goldsborough review
After Rex Stout's death, his estate allowed Robert Goldsborough to continue with the Nero Wolfe/Archie Goodwin series. This is the third that Goldsborough has written.
The feel of the original series is here, and it features a pretty good plot. I don't think it is quite as good as the best of Stout's Wolfe, but it fits in the series.
Keeping in mind this was written in the 1980s, it does feel a little dated. But then, so do the other books in the series.
The story begins with Prescott University Professor Walter Cortland asking Wolfe to investigate the death of his friend and collegue, Professor Hale Markham. He had fallen down a ravine and died, and the police feel it was an accident. Cortland is sure Markham has been murdered, as he was a famous right-wing conservative on a liberal campus.
As is usual, there is there is the byplay between Goodwin and Wolfe, and at the end of the book Wolfe has determined what had really happened.
The book was a pretty good read, although I thought the portrayal of Cortland was a bit overdone, with his usage of long words when short ones will do, so he didn't quite come across as a real person.
This is the 8th of 48 books I've committed to reading for my Mount TBR challenge.
The feel of the original series is here, and it features a pretty good plot. I don't think it is quite as good as the best of Stout's Wolfe, but it fits in the series.
Keeping in mind this was written in the 1980s, it does feel a little dated. But then, so do the other books in the series.
The story begins with Prescott University Professor Walter Cortland asking Wolfe to investigate the death of his friend and collegue, Professor Hale Markham. He had fallen down a ravine and died, and the police feel it was an accident. Cortland is sure Markham has been murdered, as he was a famous right-wing conservative on a liberal campus.
As is usual, there is there is the byplay between Goodwin and Wolfe, and at the end of the book Wolfe has determined what had really happened.
The book was a pretty good read, although I thought the portrayal of Cortland was a bit overdone, with his usage of long words when short ones will do, so he didn't quite come across as a real person.
This is the 8th of 48 books I've committed to reading for my Mount TBR challenge.
A few brief reviews of several books
To Helen Back: A River Road Mystery by Susan McBride.
This was a fairly good mystery. Milton Grone is not a pleasant man, and when he ends of dead that are a lot of possible suspects, ranging from his current wife, his ex-wife, his next door neighbor, and even his preacher. Milton has gotten his hometown--River Bend, Illinois--up in arms.
He has a parcel of prime land that the town would like to keep as is, but he has almost completed a deal to sell it for a great amount of money to a water park developer. The town holds a meeting to try and stop this, and while the meeting was going on, Milton is murdered.
It is up to the local sheriff to investigate, but widow Helen Evans wants to help the sheriff to make sure the wrong person is not arrested.
Murder in the Title by Simon Brett.
Charles Paris has a job--portraying a corpse in a play put on by a provincial theater. There is a serious accident, and Charles suspects that the accident was instead a deliberate action, and proceeds to investigate. When he discovers that the theater is on valuable property, he wonders if someone would go to such dangerous lengths to put the theater out of business, just to get the land.
Like many of the other Paris stories, there is a lot of humor, and the plot is interesting. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
Not Dead, Only Resting by Simon Brett.
Another of the Charles Paris mysteries, but with a twist. Charles is once again out of work--resting in theater lingo--when he is offered a job by a friend to help do some house painting. When he gets to the apartment, he discovers the body of chef Yves Lafeu. It appears to be a simple case--Lafeu's partner has left town, and disappeared after having quarreled with the victim. But Charles once again suspects something is amiss, and starts investigating.
Another enjoyable read, with a nice plot!
This was a fairly good mystery. Milton Grone is not a pleasant man, and when he ends of dead that are a lot of possible suspects, ranging from his current wife, his ex-wife, his next door neighbor, and even his preacher. Milton has gotten his hometown--River Bend, Illinois--up in arms.
He has a parcel of prime land that the town would like to keep as is, but he has almost completed a deal to sell it for a great amount of money to a water park developer. The town holds a meeting to try and stop this, and while the meeting was going on, Milton is murdered.
It is up to the local sheriff to investigate, but widow Helen Evans wants to help the sheriff to make sure the wrong person is not arrested.
Murder in the Title by Simon Brett.
Charles Paris has a job--portraying a corpse in a play put on by a provincial theater. There is a serious accident, and Charles suspects that the accident was instead a deliberate action, and proceeds to investigate. When he discovers that the theater is on valuable property, he wonders if someone would go to such dangerous lengths to put the theater out of business, just to get the land.
Like many of the other Paris stories, there is a lot of humor, and the plot is interesting. Looking forward to reading more in this series.
Not Dead, Only Resting by Simon Brett.
Another of the Charles Paris mysteries, but with a twist. Charles is once again out of work--resting in theater lingo--when he is offered a job by a friend to help do some house painting. When he gets to the apartment, he discovers the body of chef Yves Lafeu. It appears to be a simple case--Lafeu's partner has left town, and disappeared after having quarreled with the victim. But Charles once again suspects something is amiss, and starts investigating.
Another enjoyable read, with a nice plot!
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Blotto, Twinks and the Riddle of the Sphinx by Simon Brett review
This is the first of the Blotto and Twinks series that I have read, although this is the fifth in the series. While I've enjoyed the other series by Simon Brett, I'm not really sure about this one.
Blotto is supposed to be a young British nobleman, and Twinks is his sister. Blotto is dumb but sporty and popular among his acquaintances, and Twinks is brilliant but somewhat hindered by her upbringing in the aristocracy. They are broad caricatures of the 1920's British High Society, and the story is a parody of the 1920s British mystery.
There were several amusing incidents in the story, and I enjoyed it to a point. But it seemed to be a little too much. Blotto was a little too dumb, Twinks a little too smart, their mother a little too demanding, and the plot a little too complicated. I think this is a series that I would only enjoy in small doses. In a year or so, I may make an effort to read another, and see if I feel the same way.
This is part of my Mount TBR reading challenge (bought January, 2014), the seventh review out of the 48 books I've committed to. I'll be reviewing several more over the next few days, as I've read at least 10 or 12 additional books from the TBR pile.
Blotto is supposed to be a young British nobleman, and Twinks is his sister. Blotto is dumb but sporty and popular among his acquaintances, and Twinks is brilliant but somewhat hindered by her upbringing in the aristocracy. They are broad caricatures of the 1920's British High Society, and the story is a parody of the 1920s British mystery.
There were several amusing incidents in the story, and I enjoyed it to a point. But it seemed to be a little too much. Blotto was a little too dumb, Twinks a little too smart, their mother a little too demanding, and the plot a little too complicated. I think this is a series that I would only enjoy in small doses. In a year or so, I may make an effort to read another, and see if I feel the same way.
This is part of my Mount TBR reading challenge (bought January, 2014), the seventh review out of the 48 books I've committed to. I'll be reviewing several more over the next few days, as I've read at least 10 or 12 additional books from the TBR pile.
Murder Unprompted by Simon Brett review
This is the eighth in the Charles Paris series. Charles, a sometimes employed actor, finally seems to have gotten a break and is second lead in a play performing in the provinces. To make it even better, the play is a success, and is due to open in London.
To their great unhappiness, however, Charles and Alex Household, the two leads in the play, are told they don't have the drawing power that the television stars that have been hired to replace them have. As a sort of consolation prize, they are offered the understudy roles.
Michael Banks is the TV star that takes over the lead in the play, but can't seem to remember his lines. This problem is solved by having Michael wear an earpiece, with Alex reciting the lines to him during the play.
This seems to work, and the play is going well on opening night, until someone murders Michael Banks while he is onstage. The main suspect is Alex, and Charles starts investigating to save his friend.
I enjoy this series of books, and this is not an exception. Looking forward to reading more.
To their great unhappiness, however, Charles and Alex Household, the two leads in the play, are told they don't have the drawing power that the television stars that have been hired to replace them have. As a sort of consolation prize, they are offered the understudy roles.
Michael Banks is the TV star that takes over the lead in the play, but can't seem to remember his lines. This problem is solved by having Michael wear an earpiece, with Alex reciting the lines to him during the play.
This seems to work, and the play is going well on opening night, until someone murders Michael Banks while he is onstage. The main suspect is Alex, and Charles starts investigating to save his friend.
I enjoy this series of books, and this is not an exception. Looking forward to reading more.
Wreath of Deception by Mary Ellen Hughes review
This is the first in the Craft Corner Mystery series. I hadn't heard of the series before, but it was a free book for my kindle, and sounded pretty interesting as I'm a crafter myself.
Jo McAllister returns to her hometown after years of living in New York. Her husband had been killed in an explosion, and she was devastated. With the insurance money, she decides to open a craft shop. Her longtime friend, Carrie, and Carrie's family, help her get the shop ready.
During the opening day of Jo's Craft Corner, the clown Jo hired, named Cuddles, is more of a hindrance than a help, complaining about everything and being grumpy. When Cuddles' dead body is discovered in her shop's store room later that night, murdered by one of her craft tools, Jo becomes a suspect in the crime.
In fact, it appears that the investigating Police Lieutenant, Russ Morgan, thinks she not only killed Cuddles the Clown, but was also involved in the death of her husband. Jo is convinced by the ladies in one of her crafting classes that she should investigate and clear her name. She is assisted by Charlie, her friend Carrie's teenage son.
I thought this was an okay book, not bad, but not one of my favorites. I'm not sure exactly why. If I come across another book in the series that is free or really cheap, I will probably read it, but I'm not going to make an effort to find any.
This is part of my Mount TBR reading challenge, the book purchased in December 2014.
Jo McAllister returns to her hometown after years of living in New York. Her husband had been killed in an explosion, and she was devastated. With the insurance money, she decides to open a craft shop. Her longtime friend, Carrie, and Carrie's family, help her get the shop ready.
During the opening day of Jo's Craft Corner, the clown Jo hired, named Cuddles, is more of a hindrance than a help, complaining about everything and being grumpy. When Cuddles' dead body is discovered in her shop's store room later that night, murdered by one of her craft tools, Jo becomes a suspect in the crime.
In fact, it appears that the investigating Police Lieutenant, Russ Morgan, thinks she not only killed Cuddles the Clown, but was also involved in the death of her husband. Jo is convinced by the ladies in one of her crafting classes that she should investigate and clear her name. She is assisted by Charlie, her friend Carrie's teenage son.
I thought this was an okay book, not bad, but not one of my favorites. I'm not sure exactly why. If I come across another book in the series that is free or really cheap, I will probably read it, but I'm not going to make an effort to find any.
This is part of my Mount TBR reading challenge, the book purchased in December 2014.
Situation Tragedy by Simon Brett review
This is the seventh in the Charles Paris mystery series, published in 1981. Charles Paris is an actor, usually unemployed, who enjoys his drink.
In this story, Charles has actually become an employed actor, getting a job on a sit-com as a bartender. There is a little accident which results in a death, then another. Charles feels compelled to investigate as the accidents become a regular happening.
The characters are well written, the plot was pretty good, and I totally enjoy reading about Charles Paris, his life as an actor, and how he solves the crimes.
In this story, Charles has actually become an employed actor, getting a job on a sit-com as a bartender. There is a little accident which results in a death, then another. Charles feels compelled to investigate as the accidents become a regular happening.
The characters are well written, the plot was pretty good, and I totally enjoy reading about Charles Paris, his life as an actor, and how he solves the crimes.
The Dead Side of the Mike by Simon Brett review
I read several books by Simon Brett featuring Charles Paris, all in a row. I enjoyed all of them!
The Dead Side of the Mike, published in 1980, is the 6th book in the series. Charles Paris is an actor, who has gotten involved investigating murders in the past. In this story, Charles has a job working on a program for the BBC radio. His favorite part of the job is going to the BBC club for a drink after the work is done.
While there, he meets a few BBC employees, and then discovers the body of one of them shortly thereafter. While the official view is that the young woman had committed suicide, Charles has the feeling that it was a murder. He proceeds to investigate the woman, her friends, and her co-workers.
This mystery was fun and enjoyable to read--I really enjoy Charles Paris--and the mystery kept me guessing.
The Dead Side of the Mike, published in 1980, is the 6th book in the series. Charles Paris is an actor, who has gotten involved investigating murders in the past. In this story, Charles has a job working on a program for the BBC radio. His favorite part of the job is going to the BBC club for a drink after the work is done.
While there, he meets a few BBC employees, and then discovers the body of one of them shortly thereafter. While the official view is that the young woman had committed suicide, Charles has the feeling that it was a murder. He proceeds to investigate the woman, her friends, and her co-workers.
This mystery was fun and enjoyable to read--I really enjoy Charles Paris--and the mystery kept me guessing.
Murder at the Tokyo Lawn Tennis Club by Robert J. Collins review
This book was published in 1994, and is the first book I've read by this author. In fact, it is the first time I've ever heard of him. But this book was in a box lot of mysteries I'd bought a few months ago, and it sounded interesting, so I read it.
I found this story a little hard to follow, mostly because the names of almost everyone was Japanese and unfamiliar to me. This made it a little hard to keep track of the many various characters, and what their job was and what they'd done. About halfway through, the characters seemed to jell for me, and it was easier to follow.
The book opens with the murder of the nicest man, who is found dead in the locker room of the Tokyo Lawn Tennis Club, floating in the bath with his head bashed in. Captain Kawamura of the Azabu Police Station is called to the scene to solve the murder, preferably without ruffling the feathers of the many wealthy people who belong to the club, both Japanese and foreign born.
I found the book to be an interesting view of society in Japan during the 1990s. I always enjoy learning new things, and I learned a little about Japan while reading. The mystery was pretty good, too.
This is one of my Mount TBR books from 2014.
I found this story a little hard to follow, mostly because the names of almost everyone was Japanese and unfamiliar to me. This made it a little hard to keep track of the many various characters, and what their job was and what they'd done. About halfway through, the characters seemed to jell for me, and it was easier to follow.
The book opens with the murder of the nicest man, who is found dead in the locker room of the Tokyo Lawn Tennis Club, floating in the bath with his head bashed in. Captain Kawamura of the Azabu Police Station is called to the scene to solve the murder, preferably without ruffling the feathers of the many wealthy people who belong to the club, both Japanese and foreign born.
I found the book to be an interesting view of society in Japan during the 1990s. I always enjoy learning new things, and I learned a little about Japan while reading. The mystery was pretty good, too.
This is one of my Mount TBR books from 2014.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Punch with Care by Phoebe Atwood Taylor review
I have gotten so far behind in writing my reviews of books I've read! I actually read this late January/early February while on my way to Texas or while there, visiting my son and grand-kids. I read a lot down there, but just didn't get around to writing my reviews. And, of course, I've continued to read over the last couple of months.
This one I at least had made notes for, and I did keep track of many of the books I'd read. I'm going to make an effort to get at least some of the reviews done over the next few days!
Punch with Care is one of the later Asey Mayo books by Phoebe Atwood Taylor, published in 1946. Asey is a Cape Cod resident with a lot of common sense, and no pretensions.
In this story, Asey is approached by his friend, Doc Cummings, and asked to help Doc meet Carolyn Barton Boone, President of a local college and activist, a well known celebrity, who is staying locally with a wealthy family. Doc Cummings has been asked to invite Asey to meet with her, and Doc would like to be included.
On his way to the house, they check out a train in the yard, and discover a dead body--the body of Carolyn Barton Boone. When they go up to the house, Asey feels that things are a little weird there, and when he goes back to the dead body, it has disappeared.
This is the beginning of an interesting story, with an intriguing mystery, and good descriptions of the time-frame this story took place. I enjoyed the book, finding the characters different without being cartoon like.
This is part of my effort to lessen my Mount TBR reading pile! This book, along with many others, were in a big box of mysteries I purchased in the summer/fall of 2014.
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