Tag: mysteries
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Book review: Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn
Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn My rating: 4 of 5 stars I discovered this series a few years ago, upon the recommendation of the lovely folks at the Seattle Mystery Bookshop (located in Seattle, of course). The series takes place in England (mostly) in the 1800s. Lady Julia Grey comes from a family…
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Book review: A Morbid Taste of Bones by Ellis Peters
A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters My rating: 4 of 5 stars I have a dim memory of reading this book many years ago and not liking it (I’m not quite sure why). I picked this up (again?) a couple of weeks ago and found myself enjoying it very much. Brother Cadfael is…
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Book review: Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich
Explosive Eighteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 3 of 5 stars I read the Stephanie Plum novels for hilarious dialogue, funny and idiosyncratic characters and a completely unrealistic but entertaining plot. And that’s what you get with this addition to the series. If the book seems a bit formulaic, well, yes, it is, but that’s…
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Book review: In the Time of the Poisoned Queen by Paul Doherty
In Time of the Poisoned Queen by Paul Doherty My rating: 3 of 5 stars I have concluded that I like the concept of the Nicholas Segalla mysteries better than I like the mysteries themselves. “In the Time of the Poisoned Queen” discusses the mystery of whether Queen Mary of England died a natural death…
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Book review: Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Finger Lickin’ Fifteen by Janet Evanovich My rating: 4 of 5 stars You know what you’re getting with the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich–wacky characters, hilarious dialogue, improbable mystery, and a highly entertaining read. This addition to the series is no exception. While there is continuing angst over the Morelli vs Ranger romance angle,…
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Book review: Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan MacNeal
Princess Elizabeth’s Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal My rating: 2 of 5 stars I had high hopes for this series after reading the debut novel, “Mr. Churchill’s Secretary.” Unfortunately, the second novel does not live up to the promise of the first. The prose has a simplistic tone, which made me feel like I was…
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Book review: The God of the Hive by Laurie King
The God of the Hive by Laurie R. King My rating: 4 of 5 stars I really enjoy Laurie King’s series on Sherlock Holmes and his wife, Mary Russell. Her 10th book in this series is a worthy addition (which are best read in order). The main characters are well developed by this point, but…
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Book review: The Sanctity of Hate by Priscilla Royal
Sanctity of Hate by Priscilla Royal My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was beyond delighted after finishing “Sanctity of Hate.” I love this series and think very highly of the author, but the past couple of books in this series have been somewhat disappointing. This book, however, returns to the author’s usual high standards…
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Book review: Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal
Mr. Churchill’s Secretary by Susan Elia MacNeal My rating: 4 of 5 stars Having finished a trilogy of Winston Churchill’s life not too long ago, I was interested in seeing how a historical mystery set in World War II Britain would hold up in comparison. The historical details in “Mr. Churchill’s Secretary” are accurate, although…