Review: Murder on an Irish Farm

Murder on an Irish Farm by Carlene O'Connor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Siobhan and Macdara are finally at the Church ready to be married. James, her brother, who was to give her away is late but the Bride decides the ceremony must go on, especially since the Priest informed them they had to be timely -- a Baptism is scheduled next. Just as she is ready to march down the aisle James appears covered in muck to announce the discovery of a human skeleton in the slurry pit of their dairy barn on their new farm. ( A property, complete with a large stone farmhouse, purchased as a wedding surprise by MacDara! So good-bye surprise along with the long awaited nuptials.)

Off the almost newly weds go--leaving their guests to enjoy the reception without them and with promises that the wedding will be rescheduled soon. In short order it is found that the skeleton belongs to a local who disappeared on his wedding day, exactly 50 years ago to the day. His jilted bride is the neighbor to their farm. She is married to another now and lives with him, her sister and her brother on the O'Leary family farm. The husband, Benji, also has an ex-wife whom he left when Gladys was jilted. This woman,Rose, lives nearby with their adopted son, Joseph, now an adult, who is the local potter. All of these people would have a strong motive for killing, Tommy and none of them have a very strong alibi for where they may have been 50 years ago when it appears, dressed in his tuxedo, the groom was pushed or fell into the pit. One other neighbor also has a motive--seems not only did Tommy pull a runner on Gladys but he stole a great deal of money from his business partner, Howard Dunn.

Looks like the loving Guardi have their hands full with this case. Before it even gets off the ground, one of the suspects, Gladys' brother Alun is found face down in the same slurry pit! The case finds the investigators running circles as big as those formed by Charlie, the harrier hawk, that Rose is fond of using in her falconry.

I received this book from Goodreads to read and review. View all my reviews

Murder in the Village

Murder in the Village by Faith Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All Kinds of Secrets in All Sorts of Places

Why would a successful cop in London's Met take a transfer t Oxfordshire? Who killed Michael Dale, who was trying for PM from the district? Has Mel decided his career is more important than HS affair with Sgt Jasmine? What s Hillary Greene going to do while out with a bullet wound?? Why is the new Super so chummy with the odious Frank Ross? All becomes clear in the end and the money is gone!

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The Cruelest Month--I think it is March but others say it's April

The Cruelest Month by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This series just gets better and better. The Arnot case is now clear and the pressure being exerted on Gamache from his superiors is more understandable. But, Armand is a man of principle and he is able to take the betrayal and pressure in stride though not without pain. The agent sent to spy on him is revealed and dealt with and the murderer is revealed. What makes these books so interesting to me is the fact that I lived in the area in which they are set and Montreal was just a stone's throw away--not unusual to pop up to Ogilvy's or the Bay or out to dinner or to grab Chinese in St Jean sur Richeleau. The gatherings in the Bistro or at one of the resident's homes for holiday meals, with the conversations ranging from art, to music, to cooking and the wonderful Quebecois French are all so familiar. The food served at Thanksgiving, Christmas and now Easter so well described that I can smell and taste them. The different seasons, the landscape all add richness to the stories of murder is this idyllic village--described as peaceful,loving and comfortable and yet each major holiday has brought the Chief Inspector back to investigate a murder!! And in this one, my favorite tree, the ginkgo plays a major rote. I'm beginning to think I must have known Ms Penny when I resided there. Which of the many friends who gathered with me was she?

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Sad and, Ultimately, Not Surprising Ending

A Fatal Grace by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sad But Not Surprising Ending

Gamache and company find themselves back at Three Pines. While attending a curling match an unlike able Martha Stewart wannabe is electrocuted in a makeshift electric chair. She is only in residence at the old Hadley mansion now and then, down from her Montreal home. She's owned the Victorian pile for a year and has had minimal interaction with the locals. So, who among them would want her dead? Or has someone from outside the village managed to pull off such an unusual crime ? And what is this Armor incident in Gamache's past that seems to be having impact on him and his team? Lots of mysteries here once more!

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Review: Still Life

Still Life by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Have been meaning to read this author for a long time. Armand Gamache is such an interesting man--observant, quiet, patient, poetry lover, listener. He a man proud of his Quebec roots and sensitive to the Anglos with whom he comes in contact. He is a leader, nurturer and role model for his subordinates. In this case, he finds himself in Three Pines one of several Eastern Townships--southeast of his home in Montreal. It is the time of Canadian Thanksgiving--October-- and an elderly woman has been found dead in the woods surrounding the village. She has been shot with a hunting arrow. Has she been murdered or is she the victim of a hunting accident gone horribly wrong?

Armand, Jean Guy Beauvoir and trainee, Yvette Nichol find themselves surrounded by the friends of Jane Neal, the victim, a retired school teacher and life-long resident of Three Pines. None of the members of this close knit group seems to have been the shooter and no one seems to have anything bad to say about the victim.

As Gamache tells the villagers at the meeting he has called to start the investigation-all will be questioned, many secrets will be revealed but only those relevant to the case will ever be revealed. If nothing else, the revealed secrets about each of these interesting people is enough to spend time reading the book. As it turns out, the solution to the mystery and the revelation of the victim, herself,, makes it one of the best books I've read in a long time.

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Review: Murder at St Anne's

Murder at St Anne's by J.R. Ellis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oldroyd and Carter find themselves trying to find the murderer of a well-like female Anglican priest soon to be consecrated a bishop. One of the heaviest snowstorms in recent years has them bogged down in more ways than one as they seek to prove a living being rather than a ghost is the killer. Before they are able to track him or her down another parishioners is killed and a third is badly beaten. There are suspects aplenty and even many with viable motives and weak alibis but none who really fit the case.

This is the second in the series which focuses on misogynistic behavior. It adds the narrow-mindedness of the homophobe as well. While these are certainly despicable attitudes in society and have been proven to be motives in real crimes, it is hoped that future books will not continue in this pattern. It is causing them to become preachy rather than who-dunnits meant to puzzle the reader and challenge them to solve the case before the fictional detectives.

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Review: Lady Brazen

Lady Brazen by Scarlett Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The end of this series and perhaps the best written. Much more of the book is focused on the situation that drove these two apart--the evilness of her deceased husband--and the revelations that bring them back together. While the romantic scenes are as detailed as ever they take far less precidence in the story, making the plot more intricate and interesting. Perhaps because a child is involved and the main characters seem more mature than those in the first 5 installments of the series.

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Review: See Her Die

See Her Die by Melinda Leigh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bree Taggert continues to juggle as parent to her orphaned nephew and niece,as leader of the sheriff's department with male subordinates who make no effort to hide their resentment of her replacing the old male Sheriff, and as investigator of a supposed shooting incident in which no weapon, victim, nor shooter have been located. As the bodies start to pile up and her fear of dogs causes problems during several interrogations, she finds herself depending more and more on Matt, a former deputy who had to retire from the department after he and his K-9 partner were shot by another deputy during a raid

Murdered victims are seriously beaten about the face after death. Though there is obviously rage on the part of the murderer there are no suspects. In the meantime, the original still undiscovered victim's identity is established and she has a rap sheet with several burglary charges. Stolen jewelry is found in her backpack found under the floor boards of a cabin in the area in which her supposed killing took place. Was she involved in the spate of residential robberies that had taken place recently? Are the robberies related to the murders? Or are these two seperate crimes? Nothing seems to add up at all!

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Review: P.S. from Paris

P.S. from Paris by Marc Levy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wanted something light and airy to start the year off and to settle down from the holiday excitement. This book filled the bill. Two ex-pats living in Paris, one and American writer who has lived there for 6 years or so, the other a British film star who has just run away to reevaluate her marriage to her co-star husband who has cheated on her.

Paul's friends are visiting from San Francisco--Lauren and her husband, Arthur who is Paul's childhood pal. Both desperately wish Paul would move back to the States--he has become reclusive and spends his time writing into the late hours of the night with no social life of which to speak. They worry about his mental health and isolation. On a lark, they establish a profile for him using an on-line dating service.Arthur later writes "Paul's" introduction to a woman on the site--giving his architectural background, his current profession and his wish that he were as brave as some of his fictional characters. He then invites her to a meal at a nice restaurant. He is clear that there are no strings attached.

Mia, in the meantime, has run to the apartment of HER childhood friend, who is the owner-chef of a small restaurant in Montmartre. Daisy, her friend, is French from Provence, where Mia spent many of her childhood summers. Daisy even came to Britain in her early years to stay with Mia to improve her English. She is used to Mia's tendency to live in a sort of fantasy world, a result no doubt of her stardom status. This time, however, Mia is truly broken-hearted and at a loss over what to do about her husband, David's infidelity. She loves him but fears he no longer loves her. Out of boredom one morning after Daisy has gone to work and Mia has checked her email, she discovers a dating site on Daisy's computer. Later, after teasing Daisy about her use of such a tool and discussing its pros and cons, she finds herself setting up a profile of her own. She describes herself as a chef in a small restaurant. Upon checking her profile the next day, she finds "Paul's" message, is intrigued and attracted and accepts the invitation, also with the no strings attached declaration.


Arthur discovers the two messages and he and Lauren decide to make sure the assignation occurs. They tell Paul that they have a client who wants to establish a branch of a popular American restaurant in Paris and since they will be leaving to the States in several days want Paul to be the liason on the project. Since they are " meeting" the client for dinner they insist he come along for the discussion. Needless to say it is taking place at the place chosen by Paul with Mia,as the client. These two then pack their bags and take off for Honfleur leaving the two ignorant loners to meet and hopefully click.

From this first hilarious meeting between two strangers to their explorations of Paris, a jaunt to Seoul and the inevitable discovery of and loss of their emotional involvement and final reunion, this light-hearted tale with some interesting insights does not disappoint!



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