Fire in The Thatch: A Devon Mystery by E.C.R. Lorac ~ British Library #CrimeClassics #PoliceProcedural #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, British Library Crime Classics, Crime, Historical, Mystery, Police Procedural by Cathy

Author: E.C.R. Lorac

Published: February 2018 by The British Library Publishing Division

Category: Classic Crime, Police Procedural, Historical, Book Review

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The Second World War is drawing to a close. Nicholas Vaughan, released from the army after an accident, takes refuge in Devon renting a thatched cottage in the beautiful countryside at Mallory Fitzjohn. Vaughan sets to work farming the land, rearing geese and renovating the cottage. Hard work and rural peace seem to make this a happy bachelor life.

The first few chapters build characterisations, mostly through dialogue, giving a good indication of people’s personalities and viewpoints. This approach means the main point of the story is reached with fairly well fleshed out characters, which worked well.

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2Dec2019

Love Potions and Other Calamities by Charlie Laidlaw ~ A Comic Tale of #Love, #Mystery & Mayhem @claidlawauthor #BookReview

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary, Drama, Mystery, Romance by Cathy

Author: Charlie Laidlaw

Published: November 2019 by Headline Accent

Category: Mystery, Humour, Romance, Herbalism, Drama, Book Review

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Rosie McLeod, pub proprietor and a gifted herbalist of local renown, is thirty-nine and holding, but only just. The talons of her fortieth birthday are in her back and her bloody, bloody husband hasn’t laid a lustful hand on her for months.

Readers can always expect something out of the ordinary with Charlie Laidlaw’s books. Love Potions and Other Calamities is no exception. Each chapter begins with a snippet from The Book of Secrets by Albertus Magnus, 13th century scientist, theologian and philosopher, which relates to the story.

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15Nov2019

Peril at End House by Agatha Christie ~ Hastings & Poirot Holiday in Cornwall #HerculePoirot #Classic Crime #FridayReads

Posted in Audiobook, Book Review, Classic Crime, Murder, Mystery by Cathy

Author: Agatha Christie

Performed by Hugh Fraser

Published by HarperCollins and released on Audible in August 2006

Category: Classic Crime, Murder, Mystery, Audiobook, Book Review

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Hercule Poirot is vacationing on the Cornish coast when he meets Nick Buckly. Nick is the young and reckless mistress of End House, an imposing structure perched on the rocky cliffs of St. Loo.

Poirot has taken a particular interest in the young woman who has recently narrowly escaped a series of life-threatening accidents. Something tells the Belgian sleuth that these so-called accidents are more than just mere coincidences or a spate of bad luck.

The now retired Hercule Poirot and his friend Captain Hastings, over on a visit from his ranch in Argentina, have recently arrived at the Majestic Hotel on the Cornish coast and are enjoying the prospect of a relaxing weeks holiday.

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12Nov2019

Loving Vengeance : The Ross Duology Book 2 by Georgia Rose #Mystery #Romance @GeorgiaRoseBook #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Mystery, Romance, Suspense by Cathy

Author: Georgia Rose

Published: October 2019 by Three Shires Publishing

Category: Mystery, Suspense, Romance, Book Review

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A woman with a troubled past. A new love hanging in the balance. Will an unexpected visitor strengthen her resolve or destroy the life she’s trying to build?

Madeleine’s world, once so organised, is a mess. Suffering the fallout from the mistakes she made with Tag, she has no idea where she stands with Daniel. Are they only friends or is there still a chance for something more?

Loving Vengeance takes up Maddy’s story where Parallel Lies left off.

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29Oct2019

The Way Of All Flesh by @ambroseparry #HistoricalFiction based on fact set in Edinburgh #Medical #Mystery #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Crime, Historical Fiction, Medical, Mystery by Cathy

Author: Ambrose Parry

Published: August 2018 by Canongate Books

Category: Historical Fiction, Crime, Medical, Mystery, Book Review

Edinburgh, 1847. Will Raven is a medical student, apprenticing for the brilliant and renowned Dr Simpson. Sarah Fisher is Simpson’s housemaid, and has all of Raven’s intelligence but none of his privileges.

As bodies begin to appear across the Old Town, Raven and Sarah find themselves propelled headlong into the darkest shadows of Edinburgh’s underworld. And if either of them are to make it out alive, they will have to work together to find out who’s responsible for the gruesome deaths.

The Way Of All Flesh is a historical crime fiction set in 19th century Edinburgh. Will Raven was about to embark on an apprenticeship with distinguished obstetrician, Professor James Young Simpson, a real historical figure who began introducing the use of ether for difficulties in childbirth, and later discovered the anaesthetic qualities of chloroform.

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25Oct2019

An Equal Justice (David Adams #1) by Chad Zunker ~ If it looks too good to be true… #NetGalley @chadzunker #AnEqualJustice #FridayReads

Posted in Book Review, Crime, Legal, Murder, Mystery, Thriller by Cathy

Author: Chad Zunker

Published: November 2019 by Thomas & Mercer

Category: Crime, Legal, Thriller, Book Review

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An ambitious Stanford graduate, David Adams has begun a fast-track career at Austin’s most prestigious law firm. It’s a personal victory for the rising superstar—a satisfying reversal from his impoverished and despairing childhood. Now he has the life he’s always wanted: an extravagant salary, a high-rise condo, a luxury SUV, and no limit to how far he can go in the eyes of the top partners.

This is a case of if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

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18Oct2019

The Paperboy (DCI Peter Hatherall Mystery #6) by @DianaJFebry ~ two crimes more than 20 years apart – are they linked? #RBRT #FridayReads

Posted in #RBRT, Book Review, Murder, Mystery, Police Procedural by Cathy

Author: Diana J Febry

Published on Kindle

Category: Murder, Mystery, Police Procedural, Book Review

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A young mother brutally stabbed in a busy park in front of her son.

A paperboy shot in an isolated farmhouse twenty-four years previously.

This is a murder mystery with its roots in the past. Amanda Beresford is a single mother with a young son, Freddie. She is struggling to make ends meet and Freddie’s father is no help. While walking in the park one day with Freddie, in a seemingly random attack she is stabbed twice and her attacker flees without being caught.

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11Oct2019

The Long Call (Two Rivers #1) by Ann Cleeves ~ Murder/Mystery set in Devon @anncleeves #MatthewVenn

Posted in Book Review, Crime, Murder, Mystery, Police Procedural by Cathy

Author: Ann Cleeves

Published: September 2019 by Macmillan

Category: Police Procedural, Crime, Murder, Mystery, Book Review

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In North Devon, where two rivers converge and run into the sea, Detective Matthew Venn stands outside the church as his father’s funeral takes place. Once loved and cherished, the day Matthew left the strict evangelical community he grew up in, he lost his family too.

Set in North Devon, where the rivers Taw and Torridge meet before joining the sea, we’re introduced to Detective Inspector Matthew Venn who is on the periphery of the mourners at his father’s funeral. Matthew grew up in the area and has recently moved back to Barnstaple from Bristol, where he has been living and working.

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1Oct2019

Penshaw (DCI Ryan Mysteries) by LJ Ross ~ When you sell your soul, the devil gives no refunds… #PoliceProcedural @LJRoss_author #TuesdayBookBlog

Posted in Book Review, Contemporary Fiction, Crime, Murder, Mystery, Police Procedural by Cathy

Author: LJ Ross

Kindle Edition

Category: Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Book Review

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When an old man is burned alive in a sleepy ex-mining village, Detective Chief Inspector Ryan is called in to investigate. He soon discovers that, beneath the facade of a close-knit community, the burn from decades-old betrayal still smoulders. When everyone had a motive, can he unravel the secrets of the past before the killer strikes again?