Murder in Mayfair is D.M. Quincy’s (https://www.dmquincy.com/) debut novel in the Atlas Catesby series, and, while I started with high hopes from the enticing synopsis, they became increasingly lowered as I read on. This book just did not pull it all together for me. Atlas Catesby, usually traveling the globe, has been stuck in LondonContinue reading "Murder in Mayfair – D.M. Quincy"
The Assassin of Venice – Alyssa Palombo
The Assassin of Venice far exceeded my expectations. You know that England is my usual setting for a book, but who can resist the canals of Venice? Amidst this gorgeous setting, trouble brewed and barely stopped. I give this novel four and a half out of five stars. Valentina Riccardi is one of Venice’s primeContinue reading "The Assassin of Venice – Alyssa Palombo"
Unladylike Rules of Attraction – Amita Murray
Anya Marleigh is a musician in Queen Charlotte’s court. Despite her half-Indian heritage, she’s respected for her angelic voice and musical talent. She’d been hired by the recently deceased Dowager Countess Budleigh for private singing engagements and thought they had a pleasant business relationship - until she found out that the dowager had willed herContinue reading "Unladylike Rules of Attraction – Amita Murray"
Locked in Pursuit – Ashley Weaver
Usually, when I want to knock some sense into a character, I’m reading a dubiously written romance novel, not a well-written mystery by a great author; yet, here I am. Although a great story with a twisty ending, Electra McDonnell has never frustrated me as much as she has in her latest release, Locked inContinue reading "Locked in Pursuit – Ashley Weaver"
The Persephone Code – Julia Golding
The Persephone Code by Julia Golding is fast and furious with some likable characters. The characters were the novel’s highlight, although they made one or two strange decisions. I liked how adventurous the plot was, but it could have been more intricate and mysterious. I felt that the supposed center of the plot was almostContinue reading "The Persephone Code – Julia Golding"
Long Live the Baron – Nina Jarrett
I’m not sure how to start this review, to be honest. I try to be optimistic, but I struggled through Long Live the Baron; I would give it a maximum of two stars. The novel was promising based on the synopsis on BookSirens, but it fell apart pretty quickly for me. The characters were blandContinue reading "Long Live the Baron – Nina Jarrett"
The Highgate Cemetery Murder – Irina Shapiro
No stranger to historical mystery authorship (I’m sure I have her Redmond and Haze series on my TBR), Irina Shapiro writes an entirely solid novel in The Highgate Cemetery Murder. This was a smooth read with a satisfying conclusion on all fronts. Overall, I give it a 4.5-star rating. When Gemma Tate’s brother is killedContinue reading "The Highgate Cemetery Murder – Irina Shapiro"
Murder by Lamplight – Patrice McDonough
In her debut novel, Patrice McDonough creates an engaging murder mystery. I couldn’t guess the murderer at all, but I thought the characters could have been more robust. Overall, I give the book a 3.5-star rating, but the mystery a 5-star. Bucking rules, laws, and expectations, Dr. Julia Lewis, through a loophole, is licensed toContinue reading "Murder by Lamplight – Patrice McDonough"
The Tainted Cup – Robert Jackson Bennett
Wow, this was an unexpected treat! I was very excited to be offered The Tainted Cup by the publisher - my first of many, I hope. Usually, I am solicited by the authors themselves, which is equally fantastic. The Tainted Cup is outside of my usual historical mystery/romance genres, and in the related fantastical mysteryContinue reading "The Tainted Cup – Robert Jackson Bennett"
Jack Haldean Appreciation Post – Dolores Gordon-Smith
Advisory: This post will include a lot of fangirling, so if you need a TL/DR: Read this series. I started A Fete Worse Than Death in 2020, believe it or not. I’d added it to my TBR a while before that but, like the Ursula Blanchard series, avoided it because I wasn’t a huge fanContinue reading "Jack Haldean Appreciation Post – Dolores Gordon-Smith"