Review: Murder on Black Swan Lane

Murder on Black Swan Lane by Andrea Penrose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just started this series. The setting is Regency London, a time of great advances in Industry. The characters are intellectual, witty and daring. A widow living in the London ghettos has taken in two of the street ruffians, Raven and his brother, Hawk--who is simply adorable. With their shrewdness and familiarity with the alleys the boys are able to provide Charlotte Sloane with information she is able to use in her satirical cartoons which poke at the highest level of society and amuse the common folk. One of these cartoons attract the attention of Lord Wrexford, a chemist, who finds himself the principle suspect in the murder of a prominent clergyman, since said man seems to have been the victim of chemical burns and distortion. This combination of two intelligent people from different strata of society working together to clear Wrexford and the setting and the history of chemical science all combine to make this a very exciting and compelling mystery indeed!

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Review: The Book of Lost and Found

The Book of Lost and Found by Lucy Foley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Why do people lie? What effect does a lie have on the person to whom the lie is told? Would lives be different if the lie were not told or if the truth is eventually revealed? Will the truth make things better or worse? Can a lie ever be justified or selfless?

This book is filled with lies--mothers or step-mothers to daughters, lovers to lovers, the misinformed to searchers. Would the childhood sweethearts carried on their love affair that began as young adults if the secret one kept from the other had been revealed? Would he have become the accomplished and successful artist?

Would the Prima ballerina have worked so hard as a young child to reach the pinnacle of international ballet circles had her step-mother revealed the truth she learned from the mother, whose mother had lied to her at the child's birth? The mother who tried to keep shame and ridicule from her unmarried daughter--or was it to keep it from the family's reputation as much as the girl's? Did the step-mother keep the truth hidden to protect the same child or to keep her for herself--lest the now famous star sought out her mother and left her behind?

And would the misinformation much later in time, during the chaos of WW II , have brought the star-crossed lovers back together had it not been passed on to a distraught returning soldier?

Circle upon circle of lies, half truths, world upheaval, misinformation---all to be sorted through by a young woman who has lost her Mother and whose grand-mother on her death bed finally reveals the truth of the ballerina's birth. The story pivots back and forth between 1929 through the '40's and 1986, the story's present. From London, Paris, Corsica, New York it moves along with the artist and dancer and their families as the heroine hears from the two lovers the story of their lives.

Those questions, unanswerable bounce through my mind even now that the story has ended. A book, at times sad, at others bright and happy --much like life itself.

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Review: Memento Mori

Memento Mori by Ruth Downie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Forgotten how much I enjoy the escapades of Medicus Ruso and his British wife, Tilla! Having left the service of Rome, Ruso and Tilla with their adopted daughter, Mara, are visiting the native family farm of Tilla's family. No longer in Rome, the life is quite different for Ruso and Tilla's brother is not inclined to make his stay comfortable. When word reaches them that Valens, Ruso's best friend and also a doctor, is being sought as the murderer of his wife, Serena, Ruso wastes no time in deciding he must rush to Aquae Sulis ( modern Bath ) to investigate and clear Valen's name.

Needless to say, from the outset, the situation is almost impossible. First, Tilla will not hear of remaining at the farm. Naturally, that means Mara, the nursemaid, Nameem, as well as their slave must also go. This requires hordes of luggage and the means to get to the tourist mecca as quickly as can be. From the chaotic trip, to the limited lodging availabilities in a town soon to have a festival in the name of the Goddess and a visit by the Roman governor to the actual investigation--nothing goes smoothly until the final pages of this frustrating, funny, infuriating mystery fraught with lies and omissions leading to dead ends.

Good to be back in ancient Britannica once more!

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Review: Lord Seeks Wife

Lord Seeks Wife by Heather Barnett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unique Take on Romcom Books

Sort of The Bachelor meets Regency romance. Contemporary Duke's mother is anxious for him to marry and provide an heir. Stuffy book worm,who loves the works of Willie decides to take out an ad in the local newspaper. His more widely brother assists in organizing the many rounds of interviews needs the cull the women ,and men, who apply for consideration as the lucky winner. Quite an assortment of contenders, both local and distant, descend upon the quiet village with hilarity and chaos galore!

This review is of a Kindle edition provided by Goodreads for that purpose.

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