Flaxborough is crying Blue Murder in the 10th mystery in the excellent British small town police procedural. A writer for a London tabloid is sent to find a porno supposedly filmed with the town’s citizens. Mayor Hockley challenges the writer to a duel. Several mysterious deaths are investigated by theContinue Reading
In 1946 London, the Bodies in a Bookshop pile up while a would-be Sherlock Holmes tries to find the killer. Allan Leslie is a bookseller. When he is found murdered in a locked room with another victim, thriller reader and amateur detective Professor Stubbs and his assistant Max Boyle areContinue Reading
Keep It Quiet is a witty British golden age mystery chock full of curmudgeons complaining about minor issues while members are being killed in their club’s easy chairs. The chef at a London’s men’s club may have accidentally poisoned a member to death. The club’s secretary, Ford, wants to KeepContinue Reading
Liar Liar is an engrossing study of a woman willing to do anything, regardless of the impact on her family, to achieve her dreams. Didi Storm wants riches and fame. When her acting career is derailed with a teen pregnancy, she becomes a celebrity impersonator in Vegas. Realizing she’ll neverContinue Reading
Who doesn’t love a locked room mystery? Only six people were in the locked meditation room: Aslan, owner of The Plantation Spa and murder victim Julia, part-time secretary and confessed killer Saskia, vacationing secretary Paul, vacationing pharmacist Ann, Paul’s wife Ben, rich vacationer Detective Inspector Poole investigates but doubts Julia’sContinue Reading
Find You in the Dark is a great concept bogged down with poor plotting and characterization. Martin Reese has a secret. He likes to determine where serial killers bury their victims, dig them up, photograph them, rebury the bodies and then leave anonymous snarky messages for the police telling theContinue Reading
Bring Me Back is a good twisty thriller! Twelve years ago, Finn stops in a French picnic area to use the rest room. His girlfriend, Layla, stays in the car. When Finn returns Layla is gone. Fast forward to the present and Finn is engaged to Ellen, Layla’s sister. WhenContinue Reading
I reviewed Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier last week. Today I have a video of the author talking about the book. I totally agree with her assessment of a 16-year-old girl’s feelings. It is a confusing time. More important, I’m envious of the author’s bookshelves that are not wall toContinue Reading
Meh…Providence is not a place I enjoyed visiting. While a junior in high school in Providence Rhode Island, Jon is kidnapped. His best friend and possible love of his life, Chloe, is heartbroken. However, she and his parents eventually assume he is dead and move on with their lives. FourContinue Reading
One Man’s Meat is Gone Girl 60s style! The ninth Flaxborough mystery was published in 1977 but is set in the “swinging” 60s. Motorcycle gang member Digger Tring falls from a carnival ride 100 feet to his death. Julia Harton’s husband wants a divorce to marry his mistress who isContinue Reading
Mary and Sherlock are back to work in Island of the Mad. Mary’s old friend Ronnie’s “mad” Aunt Vivian has disappeared. Returning early from a home visit to Bedlam, both Vivian and her caregiver never arrive. After a search fails to find her, Mary and Sherlock are enlisted into theContinue Reading
Spook in the Stacks is an entertaining cozy mystery. It is the fourth Lighthouse Library Mystery. The Bodie Island lighthouse library is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Rich Jay Ruddle is looking for somewhere to house his historic documents. The library and a local college are inContinue Reading
Angela Wong’s body is found buried and dismembered fourteen years after her disappearance in Jar of Hearts. DNA links the crime to Calvin James, aka the Sweetbay Strangler, who is ultimately found guilty of four murders. His 16-year-old girlfriend at the time of the murder, Geo Shaw, is found guiltyContinue Reading
“The word is murder. That’s what matters.” And so begins another original take on a thriller from Mr. Horowitz. First person meta-mystery where the author plays himself as Dr. Watson to a memorable, recently disgraced, consulting detective, Hawthorne. To avoid confusion, when referred to as Mr. Horowitz, I am speakingContinue Reading
Probable Claws continues the 18th century tale from the previous book along with a modern day mystery. Harry, her Corgi Tucker, fat cat Pewter and even tempered cat Mrs. Murphy are hunting a killer again in the 27th entry in the long-running series. When a motorcycler shoots Harry’s architect, Gary,Continue Reading
More trouble for Flaxborough in the 8th book in the series. A contentious boat race leads 2 of the town’s leaders almost to blows. Nighttime escapades show the naked frolicking of a town leader, his friend, and two working girls to the neighbors. A mysterious note from the states promisesContinue Reading