Murder on the S.S. Rosa by Lee Strauss Review

Murder on the S.S. Rosa is the first in the Ginger Gold series.  Until this one, I had never read any of the books, although I had a couple in my TBR pile

This story took place in 1923, and Ginger Gold is traveling on the S.S. Rosa from Boston to England to settle her late father's estate, with her friend (formerly her late father's nurse, who is traveling to England to become a doctor). Ginger is a young widow, her husband killed during the first World War.  She was born and lived in England until her father remarried an American woman, and moved with them to Boston when she was still a child.  Her father was quite well to do, and her husband was a Lord, so she is a member of High Society, both in Boston, and in England when she returns. 

When a body is discovered, Ginger becomes involved in the investigation, as she is considered a suspect by Basil Reed, a fellow passenger who just happens to be a Scotland Yard Inspector.  While Basil is not happy about her investigating, she shares her information with him, and he observes that she is intelligent, resourceful, observant (and has some special skills that the Official Secrets Act prevent her from mentioning).

I enjoyed this short book, and the characters in it, although Ginger does have a high opinion of herself, and isn't overly concerned with rules.

This book qualifies for several Challenges--The Mount TBR Challenge, the Craving for Cozies Challenge, and the Alphabet Soup--Author Challenge.

Murder on the Orient (SS) by C.A. Larner

 This is the second in the Agatha Christie Book Club series, but the first that I've read. The Book Club is from Australia, and one of the members, Dr. Anders Bright, is asked to fill in as doctor on a ship, which has sailed from England and is heading for New Zealand.  The ship is the SS Orient, a replica of a early 1900s ship that used to make the trip between England and Australia and New Zealand. He suggests to the club that they may want to join the ship, as many people are disembarking at Sydney, and the rest of the trip is a very reasonable price.

The members agree, including his girlfriend, Alicia, and her sister, Lynette.  Alicia is hoping for some romance on board, but Anders seems to be avoiding her, claiming he is working and can't take time for her.  But Alicia is determined to enjoy the trip, in spite of Anders.  She and her group meet several quirky characters on board, including a group of sisters, and an older gentleman who cruises extensively.

An older woman dies on board, which is sad, but doesn't dampen the spirits of the passengers until another person ends up missing overboard.  Then another body is discovered.  Alicia and the rest of the book club decide to investigate, because of their experience investigating (apparently from the first book), and their expertise in solving mysteries in books.

While I did enjoy this book, I feel I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I'd read the first one before starting this one.  I may find the first one and read it to see if it would have made a difference.

This is number 6 in my Craving for Cozies Challenge, and the letter L for Alphabet Soup--Authors Challenge.

Aunt Dimity's Christmas by Nancy Atherton Review

Aunt Dimity's Christmas is number 5 of the Aunt Dimity series. A little background on the series overall.

Lori, the main character, never met her Aunt Dimity (not actually a relative, but her mother's best friend when she was in London during World War II). However, her mother told her stories about Aunt Dimity's adventures, and Lori always thought she was just a character her mother had made up.  She also had a stuffed rabbit named Reginald, made by her Aunt Dimity.
Lori was totally surprised when she found out Aunt Dimity was a real person, who had passed on in England, and left her a cottage in England, and a small fortune.  When she (and her stuffed toy, Reginald) went to the cottage, she discovered a blank book, and was shocked when writing appeared on the pages--written by the late Aunt Dimity, who apparently was able to communicate from the afterlife.   After reading what Aunt Dimity wrote, the words would fade away until the next time.

In this book, Lori wants to go all out and celebrate an American Christmas with her husband, father-in-law, and toddlers in their English cottage. She has a lot of plans because she wants everything to be perfect. Her plans hit a bump when she and her husband find a tramp in their yard during a blizzard, unconscious and half dead. After arranging for him to get help, Lori discovers she is compelled to check up on him, and learn more about him.

She finds this to be difficult and time consuming, but can not stop.  She makes several interesting discoveries about her visitor, and also about herself.

I've read several of the books in this series, and enjoyed them.  This was no exception.

This was part of my 2019 Mount TBR Reading Challenge, bought Dec 29, 2018.
It is also is part of my Craving for Cozies Challenge, and is A for the Alphabet Soup Challenge and Alphabet Soup Authors Challenge.

Twelve Slays of Christmas by Jacqueline Frost Review

The Twelve Slays of Christmas is the first in a  series.  The main character is Holly White, who has returned to her hometown of Mistletoe, Maine, after her fiance cancels their wedding just before Christmas.  While staying there, she helps her parents run their Christmas tree farm.  One of their biggest money makers was sponsoring "Reindeer Games" during December.  This draws visitors from all around New England.  When a body is discovered in one of their displays, the farm is shut down, as well as "Reindeer Games".  While waiting for the police to allow the farm to reopen, Holly starts her own investigation to speed things along, mush to the dismay of the new police chief.

While there is room for improvement, I basically liked this book.  While I did figure out who the murderer was, it took me a while to do so.

This is one of my books for the 2019 Mount TBR Reading Challenge. Bought Dec 15, 2018.
It is also part of my  2019 Craving for Cozies Challenge, as well as T--for Alphabet Soup Challenge, and F--for Alphabet Soup Author Challenge.

Kangaroos and Killings by Susan Harper review

This is book eight in the Flight Risk Cozy Mystery Series, but the first one I've read.  It was a quick read, and enjoyable, for the most part.
Kendall McDonald is a flight attendant, who meets an elderly woman, Pauline, who was formerly a flight attendant. They hit it off, and Pauline invites Kendall to join her on an around-the-world trip.  They are also accompanied by Pauline's little dog, Dot.  In this book, they are spending time in Australia.
They decide to go on a wildlife tour in the Outback being led by a celebrity wildlife expert.  While in the middle of nowhere, they discover the tour leader dead, having been bitten by several poisonous snakes.
This was an enjoyable read, although I can't understand how Pauline manages to take her dog through customs in several countries without any trouble. That made it a bit unbelievable for me.


This is part of a couple of the Reading Challenges I'm participating in.
 
This is K for the 2019 Alphatbet Soup Challenge .

It is book number 3 for the 2019 Craving for Cozies Challenge.

It is also book number 3 for the 2019  Alphabet Soup--Authors Challenge

Murdered Borrowed, Murder Blue by Stephanie Blackmore Review

This is the third book in the Wedding Planner Mysteries, but the first I've read.  I really enjoyed this book.
Mallory Shepard and her sister, Rachel, run a B and B, and plan weddings.  They are forced to overbook themselves by Mallory's ex-fiance's mother, Helen, someone who Mallory didn't like, but who had done her a huge favor, and insisted on calling it in.  She wanted them to put on the Winter Ball for a local, but expensive, boarding high school, just days before a large celebrity wedding they were planning.  To add to the stress, the wedding was going to be filmed for a reality show featuring weddings, from the planning stages, to the actual ceremony.
Another factor in the stress was that Helen insisted on dictating how the Ball was going to be, while out of town, and not even on the Committee for the Ball.  Mallory was put in the spot of doing what Ginger, the headmistress, and the Committee wanted, while trying to keep Helen unaware of how her plans were being ignored.
When Helen arrived, she was enraged that her plans hadn't been followed, and also that the headmistress wanted to make the school co-ed, to keep it solvent.
The Winter Ball seemed to be going off okay, until Ginger, the headmistress, who was also the Maid of Honor in the celebrity wedding, was murdered.  Mallory gets involved in trying to solve the crime.

The characters in this book were interesting, and the plot  was well thought out for the most part.  I enjoyed it quite a bit, and look forward to reading other books in this series.

This is M for the 2019 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge.
It is also book #2 in the 2019 Mount TBR Reading Challenge (bought 25 Dec 2018).
It is also book #2 in the Craving for Cozies 2019 Reading Challenge.
This is B for the 2019 Alphabet Soup Author's Edition Challenge

Princess Elizabeth's Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal Review

 
I've enjoyed both of the books I've read in this series. In this one, Maggie is dismissed from the physical training school that is required to become a behind the lines spy. Instead, she is assigned as a Maths tutor to the young Princess Elizabeth, although in reality, she is there to protect the princess from being kidnapped. 

Maggie has to investigate a murder, finds her handler to be a disappointment, and tries to determine who wishes to do harm or kidnap the princess. In this book she faces some of her shortcomings, learns some difficult news, and still does her best to protect the princess. 

I found this to be interesting, and a nice read. It is set in World War II, and you get a nice feel for the time period, although I found a couple things questionable, especially when a character says something is "so last week". That didn't seem likely to have been said in that time frame, and it threw me off for a few seconds. But overall, it was an interesting book.

This book applies to the Alphabet Soup Challenge 2019--the letter P.
The Craving for Cozies 2019 Challenge-- # 1. Maggie Hope Cozy Mystery Series
 2019 Mt. TBR Challenge. I bought this book on June 11, 2018, and read it January 3, 2019

2019 Reading Challenges

 

I'm signing up for a couple of challenges this year.





The first is the 2019 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge by Dollycas.












The second one is Craving for Cozies 2019 Reading Challenge, also by Dollycas
I will be trying for Famished – 26 – 51 Cozy Mysteries.



















 
The third one is Mount TBR 2019 Reading Challenge by My Reader's Block.  I will be striving for the Mt. Blanc level, which is 24 books.

















 
The fourth Challenger is the 2019 Alphabet Soup Author Edition Reading Challenge.