The Cypress House

Death and corruption haunt this tale about a World War I veteran during the Depression who has a unique ability to see whether a person faces an imminent demise because of a trace of smoke in his/her eyes. Arlen Wagner in the late 30’s was a supervisor at a Civilian Conservation Corps (“CCC”) camp and was transferred to another in the Florida Keys along with several others from his detachment.  On the train he saw the sign of death in his fellow passengers and tried to warn them of impending danger, but only 19-year-old Paul Brickhill listened to him.

The two abandoned the train and found themselves at an isolated inn on the Gulf Coast, The Cypress House (a euphemism for a casket).  There they discovered a different kind of danger: a corrupt judge and a sheriff who ruled the area by sheer terror, allowing drugs to be imported from Cuba at a boat landing located near the inn.

The eerie but fascinating tale follows the efforts of the two men, along with Rebecca Cady, who runs the inn, to survive not only the massive 1935 hurricane which caused severe death and destruction, but the human forces that ruled the area.  Written with an excellent eye for describing life during the Great Depression, the novel also exhibits a deep view of human emotions, as Arlen, while wishing to depart as fast as he can, refuses to abandon Rebecca or Paul.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, April 2011.

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The Attenbury Emeralds
Jill Paton Walsh
Minotaur Books, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-67454-0
Hardcover

I have a confession to make:  I never read any of the Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries.  As a result, I suppose, I can approach this novel without any prejudice about the originals written by a legendary author, the redoubtable Dorothy L. Sayers.  And I can firmly state that I have been remiss and must hasten to correct my past negligence.

The author undoubtedly undertook a dream assignment:  to bring closure to the series with this concluding work, bringing Lord Peter full circle to recount his first “detective” assignment and finally bringing the ultimate mystery successfully to a conclusion. Initially, Lord Peter undertook to find the missing Attenbury Emeralds which seemed to disappear during an engagement party.  This novel, however, traces further mysteries surrounding the gems through several decades before, during and after World War II.

I have, of course, no way of knowing how authentic the tone of the book or development of the characters is compared to the originals, but I suspect they are completely compatible.  The dialogue, deliberately stilted to simulate upper crust English society, is really touching, and, of course, the interaction between Peter and Harriet poignant.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, May 2011.

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On Borrowed Time
David Rosenfelt
Minotaur Books, February 2011
ISBN: 978-0-312-59836-5
Hardcover

This is a potboiler of a novel, the author’s third standalone.  He is remembered most fondly for his Andy Carpenter series and admired for his home for sick and injured dogs.  He has now turned his creative self to a sort of sci-fi mystery in which journalist Richard Kilmer lives in both a real and a fantasy world.

Without giving the plot away, it is safe to say the story relies on the reader to suspend disbelief in some ways.  Richard is set up to believe what someone wants him to in order to prove the success of an experiment in mind manipulation.  On the other hand, it becomes quite obvious that the more he is channeled in a specific manner, the more he acts contrary to direction, somewhat opposite to what one would expect.

In any event, the novel progresses to almost a soap opera type of conclusion, detracting, in my view, from an otherwise over-all pretty high standard.  That is not to say that I have a better idea, or that the ending is not warranted, at least on the level of what went before.  That said, the book is, for the most part, good fun, and recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, May 2011.

The Hollow House

In 1919 Denver, a young woman from the East is in financial straits and must find a way to support herself. Choices are limited for women at that time so Geraldine Brunton takes a position as companion to an elderly widow whose wealth comes from silver mining. Geraldine is also fleeing from her past, hoping that this employment will be the answer to her need to stay hidden from society.

The Stubbs household is not a cordial one, though, and the widow’s son-in-law and daughter would like to take control of her fortune. The strain in the family is carried over to the servants and Geraldine, who is immediately disliked by the daughter, finds herself becoming very protective of Emmaline Stubbs. In turn, Emmaline finds  much more than she bargained for in Geraldine and begins to appreciate her as more than an employee. When Emmaline has a sudden peculiar illness and then a servant is found murdered, several truths about Emmaline and her family as well as Geraldine come to light with devastating effect.

The Hollow House is a cozy, an historical and a police procedural all rolled into one . I was very interested to get a glimpse into the Denver of 1919 which had some of the modern trappings of post-World War I but also was still somewhat in wild west mode. Patterson also has done a nice job of showing the reader how the views of society, and men in particular, towards women were in a state of flux at the time. That in itself lends much uncertainty to the mystery of who the killer is and what will happen to Geraldine who is threatened by a terrible secret from her former life.

Patterson‘s setting is a bit unusual because nearly all the action takes place in the house. Her characters come to life on the page and I’d love to hear more about them. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find any indication that there will be a sequel but one can hope.

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2012.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, There’s A Body In The Car

There is never a dull moment in Callie Parrish’s life.  Callie is employed by Middleton Mortuary.  Her job title is mortuary cosmetologist but Callie also answers the phone, talks to clients and does whatever Otis and Odell Middleton need her to do.  Callie is currently living with her friend Jane while her home is being redone.  Jane is engaged to Callie’s brother.

When Callie makes a stop at the bookstore to pick up a couple of mysteries, she spots a man in a car with a fly on his nose.  She soon realizes that there’s a good reason he doesn’t swat the fly off his nose. The guy is dead.  Not only is he dead but there’s also a snake in the car.

Callie gets back to the funeral home to find that Odell is leaving and wants her to talk to a Mrs. Joyner who according to Odell wants a St. Patrick’s Day funeral for her husband, which is a bit unusual since it is October.  It turns out that Odell misunderstood and Mrs. Joyner wants a green funeral where the body is not embalmed and the casket is environmentally friendly.   Mrs. Joyner also wants a set of fingerprints so that she can have the fingerprints preserved in gold.

The fingerprints are taken by Callie but before she can turn them over to Mrs. Joyner a police officer runs the prints and it is found out that Mr. Joyner is not who everyone thinks he is but a participant in an armed robbery years ago.

The Sheriff is busy trying to find out the identity of the man who was found dead in the car as well as seeking more information about Mr. Joyner. As usual, Callie is drawn into the mess and finds herself in one predicament after the other.

This is the fourth Callie Parrish novel.  It is always fun to read about Callie who has more adventures in a few days than most people have in their whole life.  Odell and Otis are characters that bring a chuckle.  Callie’s father and brothers are fun and there is just no one like Callie’s friend Jane.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, April 2011.

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Devil Wind
Deborah Shlian and Linda Reid
Oceanview Publishing Company, April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-933515-89-2
Hardcover

It is 1999 and in Los Angeles Santa Ana winds are causing wildfires and Y2K is right around the corner.  Sammy Greene who is hosting a talk radio show finds that there is no end to the wild events that Y2K will bring.  Sammy’s father, Jeffrey Greene, is a real estate tycoon in the city but Sammy is hesitant to make contact with him.  Sammy was close to her previous step-mother but since her father got a divorce and is now remarried Sammy hasn’t bothered to get in touch with Jeffrey since she moved to California.  Sammy has always felt that her dad was more interested in his own life and concerns than that of his daughter.

When Sammy gets a call about the discovery of a burned body, she decides to check into the story and discovers that the body has been identified as Ana Pappajohn, the daughter of Sammy’s old friend Gus Pappajohn.  Sammy notifies Gus Pappajohn who immediately flies to California to claim his daughter’s body.

The story switches back and forth between Sammy’s actions and that of Ana Pappajohn who actually was still alive.  Ana is working for an expensive escort service and is separated at a party from her friend and roommate Sylvie.   Somehow the two had gotten their purses mixed up and Ana wound up with Sylvie’s purse.  When Sylvie’s body is discovered it is thought that the body was that of Ana’s since Sylvie carried Ana’s ID.

Ana’s date was Neil Prescott, a U. S. Congressman, who was working with Sammy’s father and had some deals going to insure his reelection.  The people Prescott was working with were ruthless individuals that would go to any lengths to promote their own interests.  Ana soon discovered that Sylvie was passing information regarding the activities of the escort service’s clients.  Ana stumbled on some documentation that Sylvie had hidden and the fact that she might have the documentation put Ana’s life in danger.

This novel has several story lines going at the same time. Sammy and her friend Gus begin to believe that Ana is still alive and in hiding and that many details of the burned victim’s death have been manipulated to avoid anyone discovering the true identity of the victim.

Sammy takes many chances to discover to locate her friend Gus’ daughter.  It seems that at every turn there is intrigue and cover-up.  The authors bring the multiple story lines together in a satisfying and surprising way.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, April 2011.

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The Worst Thing
Aaron Elkins
Berkley Prime Crime, May 2011
ISBN No. 978-0425240991
Hardcover

Bryan Bennett has a happy and successful life and his worst thing is something that he manages to put on a shelf a big percentage of the time. Bryan’s worst thing is panic attacks but he has learned to deal with them, at least in his opinion.  Bryan works at Odysseus Institute where he specializes in issues relating to kidnapping and extortion.  His panic attacks are a result of his abduction and imprisonment in a Turkish dungeon as a young boy.

Bryan’s wife, Lori, loves to travel but Bryan is not comfortable when traveling unless he can manage to do so without getting on a plane.  Enclosed places bring on his attacks and Xanax helps but the pills are a crutch and not a cure.  When Bryan’s boss suggests that he make a trip to Iceland to teach a kidnapping seminar, Bryan senses Lori’s disappointment and decides that it is time to face his problems and allow Lori to enjoy an expense paid trip to Iceland.   Lori is thrilled with the idea of the trip but insists that it is time that Bryan consults a professional regarding his fears.

Bryan agrees and makes an appointment with Zeta Parkington, retired professor, whose specialty was anxiety disorders.  Zeta met with Bryan and among other things told him that the only real cure for anxiety problems was to face the fear and conquer that fear.  The time for facing his fear was not far away for Bryan

The couple arrives in Iceland without a problem and are soon enjoying the trip.  However, the fun is brought to a sudden halt when a group of radical citizen-soldiers executes a kidnapping attempt.  The attempt goes wrong and Bryan winds up as a hostage.  Now he has to face his old fears and conquer them in order to survive.

The Worst Thing is a novel full of suspense and some surprises.  This book gives the reader a real insight into the horrors of panic attacks and makes for excellent reading.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, May 2011.

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Midnight Fires
Nancy Means Wright
Perseverance Press, April 2010
ISBN No. 978-1564744883
Trade Paperback

The crossing by sea from Holyhead to Dublin proved to be calm for Mary Wollstonecraft for the most part but a wind came up and blew her hat away.  A young sailor rescued the hat and Mary discovered the sailor had been to the colonies and been able to purchase a small piece of land and hoped to return to the colonies with the woman who was waiting for him in Ireland.  That dream would never come true for the sailor for shortly after talking to him Mary witnessed his body pitching overboard.  However, the sailor had managed to pass Mary a note and whisper to her to deliver the note to Liam in Mitchelstown.

Mary’s destination was Mitchelstown where she was to serve as a governess at Mitchelstown Castle for the Kingsborough family.  The year is 1786 and Mary was not happy about her new position.  Family problems and debts had forced Mary into accepting the position.  Mary was independent and had written a book soon to be published.  The fact that she had authored a book gave her a bit of status in the castle.  Mary hoped that her time as governess would pass quickly.

Life at the castle was hectic and the children’s mother was more concerned about her assortment of dogs than she was about the children.  Mary’s independent attitude did not please the Lady of the castle but Mary was determined to hold onto her pride in spite of her dependency on the funds to be earned as governess.

After making discreet inquiries, Mary learned that Liam did live near the castle and one of the servants agreed to put Mary in touch with him so the note could be delivered.  There was much turmoil and rebellion during this time and Mary seemed to wind up right in the middle of the turmoil.

Midnight Fires takes the readers through the many adventures that Mary endured while living in the castle not the least of which is a murder and a suicide.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, May 2011.

Mercury’s Rise

I love a good historical, and if it’s an American historical—all the better.

I am very pleased to say that this is the best historical I’ve read all year. The fourth in the Silver Rush Series set in and around Leadville, Colorado, Mercury’s Rise sets the reader between Leadville, and Manitou, Colorado, two important  historical settings for totally different reasons.

Inez is a complicated woman.  Born in the East and from a family of privilege, she may not have chosen wisely when she allowed herself to be wooed into a hasty marriage with charming gambler, Mark Stannert. With a rocky ten years of marriage, a partnership in a successful Leadville saloon, and a baby boy whose asthmatic conditions deems it necessary for them to sell the saloon, her husband, Mark, disappears and she fears him dead. (Read the first three books.)

In this book, Mark has been gone a year, and Inez sees a lawyer and posts a newspaper advertisement for dissolution of marriage. But, then Mark reappears, kicking her dreams of a new life with the reverend Sanders off the tracks.

Inez, suspicious and deeply hurt by what she considers her husband’s abandonment, doesn’t want to hear his excuses. After all, because of his disappearance, she had to remain with the saloon and send their son to her sister back east.

So begins this deeply atmospheric story that weaves mystery, history and romance. The author nails it with her descriptions of this time of American history, the characters, each in their levels in society, speak and act as I would imagine them to do so. And eventually it’s these societal standards of 19^th century America that drives one of them to do murder.

I really appreciated how the author has created an intelligent and tough protagonist in Inez Stannert. Inez is flawed as both a woman who does what she can to survive and as a mother who is torn in her decision to let her son be raised by her sister and family.

An excellent, intelligent read that I happily lived in until it was finished. I look forward to reading more Silver Rush Mysteries to see what happens with Inez.

Reviewed by guest reviewer, RP Dahlke, November 2011.

Poison, Your Grace

Simon Maldon’s life is much different now.  He previously spent a lot of time at Hampstead Castle when Princess Elizabeth was staying there.  The two had several adventures during that period.  Then Elizabeth’s father passed away and Elizabeth went to live at Whitehall with His Majesty Edward the 6^th.

Simon has taken a position as an apothecary’s apprentice.  Simon is also engaged to Hannah and they hope to marry as soon as Simon can be in charge of a shop of his own.   When one of the King’s advisors is murdered, Thomas Cuthbert, the apothecary that Simon works under, is summoned to the castle on an urgent matter.  Thomas asks Simon to accompany him. Thomas is assigned to examine the body of  Lord Amberson, the deceased, and attempt to determine how he was poisoned.  Thomas Cuthbert is ordered to bring to the castle whatever was necessary in order to protect the King from poisoning.

Simon fears for Elizabeth’s safety but Elizabeth is concerned about the fate of her brother.  A second death occurred on the same day when a young French maid took a fall on the steps and died.  It seemed no one was entirely safe at the castle.

Simon received a letter stating simply that he was to be in Richmond Park the next day at noon. The note was signed E.  When Simon and Elizabeth met, she begged him to help her find the underlying cause of the deaths at Whitehall.  She also asked Simon to ask Hannah to come to Whitehall to work for Elizabeth. In that way, Hannah could be allowed to meet Simon in the evening and they could pass messages without anyone in the castle being the wiser.

Simon and Hannah agreed and they both found themselves in danger on more than one instance as they tried to discover who was behind the poisoning.  Hannah was not excited about the task at first but soon was as interested and brave as Simon.  Simon had to resort to numerous disguises in order to spy in locations where he really had no business.

Poison, Your Grace is an entertaining read.  The politics and power seeking that went on at Whitehall is never ending and frightening to see what lengths people will go to for money and power.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, November 2011.

The Sentry

There are many larger-than-life, hard-boiled superheroes, some more believable than others.  Then there is Joe Pike:  A strong, contemplative, quiet, unassuming protagonist.  And his sorrowful and anguished side-kick, PI Elvis Cole, adds a more human touch. Together, they make a great team, and in this, the third thriller in the series with Joe in the lead (Elvis is upfront in 11 others), they come together like ham and swiss or hand in glove.

It all begins when by chance Joe observes two gangbangers beating up a cook in a po’boy sandwich shop in Venice, California.  Killing one ( the other runs off), he meets the cook’s niece and becomes attracted to her, deciding to meet with the gang jefe to prevent further violence in what appears to be a protection racket.  This leads to all sorts of events involving the Mexican drug cartel, Bolivian drug lords, and a psychopathic killer, among others.

Each novel in the series is notable, with this entry among the best. The author has written a solid book, with ironic observations and a plot that swerves back and forth to keep the reader wondering what follows.  He has shown that the series is a long way from running out of steam, and I can’t wait for the next one.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

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Stettin Station
David Downing
Soho Press ,April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-56947-919-3
Trade Paperback

The chronicle of journalist John Russell begins in Nazi Berlin a week before Pearl Harbor in this, the third novel in the series [with a fourth, Potsdam Station, just out in hardcover].  The descriptions of Gestapo tactics and the beginnings of the “final solution” are eerily chilling.

Russell is ostensibly a correspondent for a San Francisco newspaper, allowing the author to describe the machinations of the Nazi censors and propaganda machine with vivid detail, while his protagonist acts as a go-between between German and American intelligence agents, carrying messages back and forth.  He even obtains proof that the Gestapo is removing Jews from Berlin and planning to gas them, even though he can hardly publish the story.

As conditions worsen, Russell has to find a way to get out of Germany, hoping to bring his long-time girlfriend with him.  It is a tale of terror with a thrill-a-page pace.  Descriptions of wartime Berlin and the police state remind us of a period many may have forgotten, but of which we, and they, should perhaps be reminded.

Recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

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Damage
John Lescroart
Dutton, January 2011
ISBN: 978-0-525-95176-6
Hardcover

Readers should not expect the author’s trademark court scenes in this novel.  Instead, it is more of a psychological study about a newly elected DA, Wes Farrell, in San Francisco, protagonists also including Chief of Homicide Abe Glitsky, Asst. DA Amanda Jenkins and others. The antagonists include Ro Curtlee, a convicted rapist-murderer released by an appellate court on a technicality after serving nine years of a much longer sentence, and his parents, wealthy owners of one of only two newspapers in town and not hesitant in using their power to influence public officials or opinion.

Soon after Ro’s release pending a new trial, the question of bail arises; Farrell takes no position and the judge grants it for a $10 million bond. And then the chief witness in the first trial is found strangled and her apartment burned.  Obviously, suspicion falls on Ro. Another murder and threatening events soon follow.  The thrust of the plot is to get Ro back in jail, and the machinations of the cops and prosecutors vs. the influence of the Curtlees.

So, instead of a courtroom drama, we have a thriller enhanced by peeks into the conflicts and complexities, including ethics, values and procedures, facing various professionals in their attempts to serve justice.  Written with insight and flowing narrative, the novel is recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

Uneasy Spirits

This is Ms. Locke’s delightful sequel to Maids of Misfortune, and the second in the Annie Fuller historical mystery series.  Set in the late 1800’s in one of my favorite cities, San Francisco, California, I felt like I was there, walking these streets as they were a hundred years ago.

By day, Annie Fuller makes her living as the proprietor of a respectable and well established boarding house, but at night, she becomes Madame Sybil, fortune teller. Annie may have been brought up studying finance at her father’s knee, but this is the only way any grown man in the 1800’s will accept the financial advice from a twenty-six year old woman, much less pay for the privilege.  And, Annie, has finally found someone who isn’t like her dead husband in the attractive young lawyer, Nate Dawson whose awkwardness around Annie, is both touching and charming.

The story opens with the scene in which we witness the murder of an elderly woman, and in a totally separate venue, we’re introduced to a very strange young girl. The two incidents, we later learn, are intricately woven together and the result will culminate in a surprise ending.

Annie gets involved when one of her boarders, Miss Pinehurst, fearing for her sister’s sanity, begs Annie to help her prove that the clairvoyants her sister insists upon paying, are fake. Stepping into the world of Simon and Arabella Frampton, Annie is sure that Miss Pinehurst is right and determines to expose them… until she meets with Evie May, the odd child we saw in the beginning.

Evie May is a chameleon, a child whose different personas are used by the unscrupulous Simon and Arabella Frampton as a way of making lots of money.

But, there’s a more sinister plot underway here between the Framptons and a shadowy figure who is actually directing the whole show from the sidelines.

Nate and Annie become pawns of this person’s nefarious plans, and though we don’t find out who this person is until almost the end, there’s every reason to believe that one or both of these young people may become the next victim.

This is a skillfully crafted mystery with wonderful recurring characters who are the kind of people that live with the reader long after the book is finished.  And of course, the bad and really bad characters get what’s coming to them… perfect!

Last, but not least, when I read this book I was reminded of one of my favorite historical mystery authors, Anne Perry. I’ve read almost all of her books, and I can honestly say that Ms. Locke’s work is right up there with Anne Perry’s.

Reviewed by RP Dahlke, Guest Reviwer, October, 2011.

The Little Women Letters

In this cleverly written novel, the author weaves letters from a fictional Louisa May Alcott character, Jo March, between the pages of a contemporary story that involves her great-great granddaughters, Emma, Sophie and Lulu. The entire family is blissfully happy, being born from a union of their American mother Fee, and their British father David.

Now, I know this book has received rave reviews from quarters all around the globe, and I’m happy to agree with them to a point, but I have bones to pick with the story; because when nothing happens, it starts to rub like sandpaper on the skin. Yes, the dialogue is twerriby, twerriby British and witty, but this is not Louisa May Alcott’s 19^th century America, it’s 2010, England, London to be exact.

My hopes were raised, when Sophie, the youngest, might be pounced upon by a theatrical producer. Didn’t happen.  And then, she might die from food poisoning!  Sophie’s virtue stays intact and she doesn’t die. Damn and double damn.  Unlike Lousia May Alcott, the author simply can’t imagine that her readers might enjoy a good snot-sob at the loss of one of the characters.

There is a momentary consideration that the father, David may be unfaithful, unseen by his wife, who is everyone elses emotional counselor, but can’t see when her husband may be wandering off to enjoy a little hanky-panky on the side. Of course, no lusty roll in the hay on the side for David and Fee doesn’t clout him on the ear. Oh, well. It was only wishful thinking on my part anyway.

Then there’s Lulu, the middle sister, who has an expensive, and heretofore, unused bio-chemistry degree. But, does she toil at a dull, but well-paying job? No, not cuckoo Lulu. She flits from one dead-end job to the next, all the while cooking up incredible gourmet meals for her family, friends and wealthy flat-mate, Charlie, whose family just happens to own a complete set of swanky hotels.

Now, gentle reader, I ask you, what kind of family, flat-mate, sisters, friends, all ignore the fact that the girl is a born chef, and yet, not one of them mentions that she should go to cooking school? That is, until Charlie’s brother shows up. A hunky guy who cooks. Imagine that? They meet, they cook, and being the thoroughly modern girl that she is, promptly falls in love with the guy (and promptly makes  plans to go to chef school).

Okay, granted, I’m a mystery writer, a speed freak, an action junky—call me what you will, but if I want to read Victorian novels, I’ll stick with Louisa May Alcott, whose writing still gives us pathos, yearning, separation, death and hope, humor, and more hope during a terrible time of our American history, the American Civil War.

Agree? Disagree? Do your worst… I gotta go plot a murder scene.

Reviewed by R.P. Dahlke, guest reviewer, September 2011.

In A Gilded Cage

Reading a Molly Murphy book is like sitting down with an old friend.  Molly is one brave woman and believes in her own ability as a detective and as a woman.  She is a lot of fun, too.

Molly joins her friends Elena Goldfarb and Augusta Walcott in the Easter Parade.   The group is marching for women’s rights.  Many people feel that women should not make such a public exhibition and their march is not well received. When the marchers are arrested, Daniel, Molly’s boyfriend, comes to their rescue.

Influenza has struck the city and many people are ill.   Molly had the flu but has recently recovered.  The march has helped Molly with her business.   Emily Boswell, one of the participants in the march, has hired Molly to investigate her background.  Emily has been told her parents died while out of the country as missionaries but Emily doubts that story.

Emily’s friend, Fanny Poindexter, thinks her husband has another woman on the side and hires Molly to investigate.  Before Molly can make a report to Fanny, she receives word that Fanny is very ill.

Soon Molly suspects Fanny’s illness may have nothing to do with the flu.  Molly suspects poison but cannot pinpoint where it came from or how the poison may have been administered.  Fanny won’t be the last to suffer from the mysterious illness.

In a Gilded Cage is a wonderful addition to the Molly Murphy series.

Reviewed by Patricia E. Reid, March 2009.

Dead Man’s Chest

The Hon. Phryne Fisher makes her 16th appearance in this novel wherein she deservedly takes her entourage, including daughters Ruth and Jane, companion Dot, and pet Molly, on a vacation to the Australian coastal resort of Queenscliff where they are to spend relaxing time, i.e., no crimes or murders, at a house loaned to them by an anthropologist Phryne met just once at a party.  (We should all have acquaintances like that!) The house, supposedly attended by a husband and wife team, the Johnsons, is vacant when the group arrives, with the back door unlocked, the servants’ furniture missing and all manner of provisions absent.  So much for a vacation from mysteries.

The plot is relatively light (they are, after all, on vacation), allowing the author to address various mundane activities, such as Ruth, the aspiring cook, taking over the kitchen in the absence of servants and preparing gourmet dinners, Jane enriching her scientific mind, and Phryne easily coming up with the necessary answers to satisfy any questions raised.  No need to summarize what they are since we heartily encourage you to read this latest entry in a delightful series.

Recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, March 2011.

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Murder in Passy
Cara Black
Soho Crime, March 2011
ISBN: 978-1-56947-882-0
Hardcover

As Bogey said: “We’ll always have Paris.”  Or at least as long as Cara Black keeps writing the Aimee Leduc series, set in the City of Lights. This is the 11th entry in the series, and is a bit different from its predecessors.  While its setting is still a particular area of Paris, this time a “posh” neighborhood, the plot is different, involving the Basque “independence” movement rather than some criminal mystery, and the charms of Paris get but fleeting mentions along the way.

The essential mystery is the murder of Commissaire Morbier’s girlfriend, for which he is being charged.  Apparently, he is being pressured to reveal the identity of an informant, and is being given no choice, unless Aimee comes up with the real murderer.

Written with the customary charm of a native Parisian (although the author is really based in San Francisco), Aimee once again shows the characteristics of Superwoman, bounding high fences and even more daunting feats.  A fast read, but no less enjoyable for that.

Recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, June 2011.

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Guilt by Association
Marcia Clark
Mulholland Books ,April 2011
ISBN: 978-0-316-12951-0
Hardcover

New York City has its former prosecutor-turned-novelist in Linda Fairstein.  Now Los Angeles has its own, Marcia Clark, who was the lead prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial and subsequently wrote a best-selling non-fiction book on her experiences.  However, that’s where the similarity ends.  Ms Fairstein, of course, centers her wonderful plots on various Big Apple landmarks, weaving them into the thread of the crimes. On the other hand, Ms. Clark seems to overly dwell on a never-ending series of LA restaurants and bars, as well as the love lives (such as they are) of assistant DA Rachel Knight and her two female friends, another assistant DA, Toni, and Bailey, a detective.

This observation aside, the novel has quite a lot going for it.   The thrust of the book is two seemingly unrelated murders:  An apparent murder-suicide involving a much-liked assistant DA whose body is found in a seedy motel room with that of a teenage male hustler, and the death of a suspected rapist.  While the first case is taken over by the FBI because of a conflict of interest, it falls to Rachel and Bailey to solve the mysteries.

For a first novel, the effort is fairly well done, with good dialogue and plot movement, as well as some subtle twists.  It could have used some more editing and tightening, especially in the first half of the book.  After initially wandering and giving varied background information, it really gets going in the second part, and is recommended.

Reviewed by Ted Feit, August 2011.