Review: The Girl in the Manor

The Girl in the Manor by A.J. Rivers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emma is on leave but naturally that doesn't mean she's sitting on her butt relaxing! Nope, there is a bus terminal explosion and her ex-boyfriend, Greg, appears in the video feed from the security cameras. Eric, her buddy back in the FBI home office lets her know that the boss has allowed him to send her a clip--just to make sure it is really Greg. It is, so Emma is requested to come look at all the video and give her imput on what Greg may have been doing in the site.

Sam, her new/old boyfriend, and the local sheriff is not happy that she is taking off to do FBI stuff when she's to be resting. He, of course, doesn't mind her helping out on a little mystery back there in the hometown. A little girl has died in an apparent accident--she slipped running on a marble floor in her billionaire Dad's home, hit her head and died. Her mother isn't sure it was an accident and so the new wife is being scrutinized a bit more closely, since she was the only one with the child when she fell. However, this woman has been found hanging in the mansion with all the windows and doors closed and locked from the inside. Suicide. Case closed on the child's death. Not so fast--Mother and her boyfriend aren't happy that there will be no more investigation into that death. Meanwhile, Dad has disappeared and no one knows where he is. Add to that the fact that the knots on the suicide's rope could not have been tied by her. So that one looks like murder.

Emma has her hands full but wait, there's more. Another Manor all together and a cult connection. AND there appears to be a stalker watching Emma and when she notices him she thinks it is her missing father--but you needed to read the first two books to understand that whole plot point.

Pretty convoluted tales this series but interesting enough that I keep right on reading them

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Review: Fatal Blow

Fatal Blow by James L. Thane
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hell hath no fury..... clever book! A woman whose husband has cheated on her decides to get even by disappearing and making it look as though he is somehow involved in her disappearance. In the first chapter this plan is laid out quite clearly. Becky Miller is dissatisfied with her college sweetheart who was a jock and she a cheerleader when they met and fell in love and married. As the time went on, Walter Miller allowed himself to grow a bit flabby and otherwise unattractive. They've moved into separate bedrooms and Becky, who has bank-rolled his businesses, has cut off all physical contact. Walter has found a cocktail waitress to satisfy his needs, both physical and ego. So the two of them continue to live a congenial if bland relationship. Then, Becky finds an email from Cathy Stanton that totally rocks her equilibrium. Hence the plot!

Second chapter, Sean Richardson and his partner, Maggie catch a case. The torso of a woman has been found in the CAP canal near Phoenix. Around the same time, Walter has reported his wife missing to the police. Fairly soon the evidence appears to indicate the body is that of Becky Miller!

From then on, the chapters alternate between Becky carrying out her plans until her disappeance and the investigation into her death. This plotting keeps the story moving and interesting. But halfway through the book, a sudden twist takes everyone down a totally different path. As to the ending--well, let's just say, life goes on.

The best of the series thus far--On to the next installment.

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Review: A Trick of the Light

A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Review: The Word is Murder

The Word is Murder by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you love Foyle's War and Midsomers Murders; if you enjoyed Magpie Murders on Masterpiece, then you will love this mystery written by the author of those programs. The most interesting thing about this book is that Anthony Horowitz is himself a character in the book! But there is much besides the murders to keep the reader interested--a look into the development of such filmed offerings, the writer's process and the production of the piece. There are also glimpses of the publishing of a book and again the writer's process in its composition.
Yet, for all that information, this book, The Word is Murder--not its original title--Detective Horowitz wished it to be called something else--is not a full-fledged product of Horowitz's mind, Oh, no, Daniel Hawthorne, fired from Scotland Yard but used by them as an investigator, has approached Horowitz to write a murder mystery that Hawthorne is currently investigating. He wants Horowitz to tag along throughout and then once the mystery is solved to organize the events leading up to the solution into a book starring Hawthorne. The deal is that Horowitz has no creative license but must adhere strictly to events and places and people precisely as they are. When the book is published the two will share the profits 50/50.
The murder mystery is intriguing--though I figured out the murderer about 3/4 of the way through. Could not for the life of me understand the motive, however. The interaction between the author and investigator is hilarious in many ways though in no way is this a comedy. As a matter of fact, it was sometimes difficult, even at the end, to determine if this is a Murder Mystery or a Detective Story. And at times, whether this is a true crime book or a fictional tale.

Horowitz is just incredible and the next book is on my shelf to read next.

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Review: Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage

Mystery at Apple Tree Cottage by Clare Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes a mystery without a lot of blood and guns is relaxing and entertaining and this series with its lady of a certain age finding herself in the midst of it does just that. In this one, a native son who was a terror as a teenager and now a ladies man entrepreneur with a horticulture business returns to town and gets himself killed. Why? Does someone hold a grudge from years ago? Maybe his mother's boyfriend with whom he has had a strained relationship has had enough. Or did he go to far with his arrogance and manipulating charm? Eve and Viv will just have to go on running the bakery and cafe and compare notes. As a free lance obituary writer Eve is perfectly placed to get some background info on the victim. Especially, since he was interested in getting her to write a short bio on him in Icon magazine and the editor is still keen on the idea.The busybody shop keeper across the Green will have her info too And then there is the mysterious gardener about town, a former policeman, who has a connection with one of the coppers investigating the killing and shares info with Eve as well. Lots of red herrings in this one and a nice surprising solution.

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Review: Dead Man's Wake

Dead Man's Wake by Paul Doiron
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Doiron is the master of fore-shadowing! Ora's gut feelings have weight. Stacy's observations at the airport in Massachusetts should have given her pause. And at least one other, early in the book, which gave me the answer immediately as to who the murderer was. How the boating accident fit into the plot was problematic and once the operator was found the punishment was sadly lacking. Still, unraveling the two crimes was interesting and thank goodness ole Mike and Charley insisted on being in on the crime that was not theirs to solve. Otherwise, the reader would have had a very short book to read. In the end, the only thing lacking was a viable motive--thought it was pretty shaky myself. Still, whatever the reason, the captive was at least partially responsible for the deaths. If nothing else Doiron always gives several strands to follow and keeps his Warden and family busy. Interesting, now that Mike is in his 30's he is all of a sudden a font of wisdom and some self control--lol

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Review: A Venetian Reckoning

A Venetian Reckoning by Donna Leon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A tragic tale of sex trafficking in Europe, especially Italy, especially Venice and Padua. It is heart-breaking and sad but the saddest part of this book is the ending. Tragedy upon tragedy.

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