More mysteries ... cozy and cozier ...

Regular readers know that mystery stories are some of my favorite reads, a guilty pleasure, and a perfect escape over the holiday break.  Here’s a quick summary of a few titles …

My favorite in this group is MURDER IN RAT ALLEY by Mark de Castrique.  It is the Sam Blackman Mystery #7 and I have already commented on several others in this series. Once again, Sam and his partner, Nakayla Robertson, find themselves investigating a murder in the Asheville, North Carolina area.  This one occurred about seventy years ago and was successfully hidden for most of that time. Once the skeleton is discovered, though, danger increases, including for Sam and Nakayla. The story centers on government actions at Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), a former NASA installation. Sam speaks to former employees and pursues some erroneous theories, finally reflecting that “My grandmother always told me I had two ears and one mouth for a reason. I should listen twice as much as I speak.” I love the many twists and local flavor (numerous charming details like an Irish pub with Harp, Guinness, and Smithwick’s on tap) in this mystery series and look forward to more.  

THE BODY ON THE TRAIN by Frances Brody is another cozy mystery in the Kate Shackleton series, set in 1920’s England. Shackleton, a private investigator, is chosen to help Scotland Yard identify a body found in a rhubarb shipment from Yorkshire. Seems implausible, but labor problems and other strife add a serious concern and another death to the story.  Posing as an inquiring photographer, Shackleton visits a former school friend who is married to the local mine manager.  There, she investigates several happenings, allowing the story to deal with class conflict and potential national security concerns. For a puzzling mystery with compelling historical insight, choose this or another title in Brody’s entertaining series.

  

A LEGACY OF MURDER by Connie Berry is the second in the Kate Hamilton mystery series and is set in the present day at Finchley Hall, an Elizabethan House with extensive grounds and a history of murder associated with its treasure, called The Hoard. Hidden in the mid-1500s and missing until much later, these jewels and antique pieces are soon to be put on display. In fact, that is where Kate comes in because she is visiting her daughter who is an intern at Finchley Hall, and one of the other interns dies suddenly.  The circumstances mirror events from almost a quarter century ago when another display of The Hoard was planned. Kate steps in to complete the catalogue of materials as well as to assist in the investigation – not quite the way she expected to be spending time with Detective Inspector Thomas Mallory, a romantic interest from an earlier European trip. Another cozy mystery with likeable characters, historic references and some antiquing lore, too. There’s also some drama and angst associated with Kate’s daughter and her friends which will add to appeal for younger readers.

THE MAN THAT GOT AWAY is by Lynne Truss, perhaps best known for her non-fiction work Eats, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation. This new title is her second mystery featuring Constable Twitten and I was looking forward to it after having heard some enthusiastic comments from readers about the first, A Shot in the Dark. In fact, the Wall Street Journal called that initial effort “the funniest crime novel of 2018.” Perhaps I was not patient enough, but this mystery set in late 1950s Brighton, England did not have characters or humor that appealed to me. You may feel differently; Booklist suggests it for fans of Christopher Fowler’s Bryant and May mysteries.

THE BOOK OF CANDLELIGHT by Ellery Adams is another mystery story in a series that features four strong women (a bookshop owner and bibliotherapist, a baker, a salon owner, and a local spa employee) who formed the Secret, Book, and Scone Society and who rely on each other for support in the face of financial and personal problems.  They live in Miracle Springs, North Carolina and are active community members, stepping up to offer solace to Marie, whose husband Danny (a Cherokee potter) has drowned in questionable circumstances. I eagerly anticipated this newest installment, but found that THE BOOK OF CANDLELIGHT seemed to “drag” a bit in the middle, before offering perspective on the impact of prejudices, both past and present.  Like others in this series, there are plenty of references to reading and book titles and appeal for cozy fans so do look for Adams’ work, particularly if you prefer a less violent mystery set in a small town.

The Golden Spoon and A Mansion for Murder

Two new mysteries to be published in March:

THE GOLDEN SPOON by Jessa Maxwell is a delicious debut which, as the publicity materials note, combines elements of The Great British Bakeoff with Only Murders in the Building. It is a totally fun immersion in behind the scenes view of Bake Week, a television contest (complete with big white tent) hosted by “America's Grandmother,” Betsy Martin, at her longtime Vermont family estate called Grafton Manor. There are six contestants who share narrator duties with Betsy. That moves the story along as we see the varied plans for baked goods from Gerald, a precise and logical math teacher; Stella, a former journalist recently turned baker; Pradyumna, an entrepreneur looking for adventure; Peter, a restoration specialist; and Lottie, a nurse and long-time baker in contrast to Hannah, one of the youngest contestants ever on the show. Each has some backstory that is gradually revealed, adding to the ominous foreboding feeling as (of course!) a storm rages. Designed for amusement and entertainment, albeit with some serious elements, THE GOLDEN SPOON received enthusiastic starred reviews from Kirkus, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly.

I really enjoy the Kate Shackleton Mysteries so I have already finished a preview copy of A MANSION FOR MURDER by Frances Brody, number thirteen in the cozy mystery series. Once again, Kate is immersed in the affairs of a small village (Saltaire) and its manor house, Milner Field, is purported to be cursed. She has arrived due to receipt of a cryptic letter from a local resident named Ronnie Cresswell who, sadly, is killed before they have a chance to meet. There are echoes of much earlier deaths in the region and Kate and her colleagues step up to investigate motives (industrial espionage? thwarted love affairs? covering up a theft?) with plenty of suspects and unexpected connections across generations and between social classes. Kate is a capable sleuth and Brody has developed another multi-faceted mystery to keep her readers guessing. Enjoy!

More Mysteries ... by Ann Cleeves and Frances Brody

THE DARKEST EVENING by Ann Cleeves is the latest (number nine) in the Vera Stanhope series of mystery stories, but the first that I had the pleasure of reading. In its starred review, Publishers Weekly declared, “This page-turner is must reading for fans as well as newcomers." I heartily concur! In this wintery tale, Vera finds a toddler in an abandoned car in the snow.  The young and troubled mother, Lorna Falstone, is later found dead on the grounds of Brockburn, a large, grand house in rural Northumberland. That is actually where Vera had headed with the child; she knew the manor house was nearby because it is where her father was raised although he was later estranged from the family. Vera and her colleagues, Joe and Holly, now must work to solve the puzzle of Lorna’s death. The suspects are many, involving tangled ties amongst family members, business associates, and community members.  After enjoying this tale, I was disappointed to learn that the ITV-produced British crime drama is only available in the US through smaller services like Acorn or Britbox. But I was encouraged by Louise Penny’s comment that "Ann Cleeves is one of my favorite mystery writers.” I will be looking forward to reading more by BOTH of these best-selling authors! 

MURDER IS IN THE AIR by Frances Brody is number 12 in Kate Shackleton mystery series. I always enjoy these charming mysteries set in the late 1920s and early 1930s Britain. Kate is a resourceful sleuth and this story begins as she sends her assistant, Jim Sykes, to a brewery in Yorkshire which is experiencing some financial and management issues. Sykes mingles well with the locals and becomes increasingly suspicious, particularly after the brewery’s extremely capable and knowledgeable secretary, Miss Crawford, is killed while cycling. Exploring the role of women at this time, Brody interweaves the family story of Ruth Parnaby, another capable employee who works in the accounting area and is representing the brewery in a marketing contest. MURDER IS IN THE AIR features more than one puzzle and plenty of inter-relationships which give rise to numerous suspects. Enjoy!